V 


\ 


**>rv-* 


COLLEGE  VOLUNTARY  STUDY  COURSES 


FIRST  YEAR— PART  I 


Student  Standards  of  Action 


BY 

HARRISON  SACKETT  ELLIOTT 

.  * 

AND 

ETHEL  CUTLER 

Bible  Study  Secretaries 

Student  Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's 

Christian  Associations 


WRITTEN  FROM  OUTLINE  PREPARED  BY 

SUB-COMMITTEE  ON  COLLEGE  COURSES 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL  COUNCIL  OF  EVANGELICAL 

DENOMINATIONS 

AND 

COMMITTEE  ON  VOLUNTARY  STUDY 
COUNCIL  OF  NORTH  AMKPICAIT  STUDENT  MOVEMENTS 


association 

NEW    YORK:    124  East  28th  Street 

LONDON:  47  Paternoster  Row,  E.  C. 

1914 


COPYRIGHT,  1914,  BY  THE 

INTERNATIONAL  COMMITTEE  OF  YOUNG  MEN'S 
CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATIONS 


The  Bible  text  printed  in  short  measure  (indented  both 
sides)  is  taken  from  the  American  Standard  Edition  of  the 
Revised  Bible,  copyright,  1901,  by  Thomas  Nelson  &  Sons, 
and  is  used  by  permission. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION 5 

I.     THE  COLLEGE  PURPOSE 9 

II.     READJUSTMENTS 19 

III.  AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT 31 

IV.  REAL  EFFICIENCY 45 

V.     A  BUDGET  OF  TIME 59 

VI.     COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS 70 

VII.     THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH 82 

VIII.     STUDENT  HONOR 98 

IX.     THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT 114 

X.     CHRISTIAN  CHIVALRY 126 

XI,     CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY 139 

XII.     STUDENT  INITIATIVE  AND  THE  COLLEGE  IDEAL  154 


308425 


INTRODUCTION 

This  text  is  planned  for  the  use  of  students  in  colleges, 
universities  and  normal  schools,  both  for  personal  study  and 
in  voluntary  discussional  classes.  Each  chapter  is  divided 
into  three  sections :  Daily  Readings,  Study  for  the  Week, 
and  Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion.  In  the  Daily 
Readings  an  introductory  paragraph  states  the  problem  for 
the  week,  and  this  is  followed  by  a  brief  presentation  of  seven 
phases  of  the  problem,  one  for  each  day,  with  personal  ques- 
tions and  appropriate  Bible  passages.  They  are  intended  as 
the  basis  for  daily  thoughtful  Bible  reading  and  prayer, 
usually  known  as  the  Morning  Watch.  The  Study  for  the 
Week  summarizes  the  week's  problem,  discusses  the  Bible 
passages  in  an  attempt  to  determine  Jesus'  principles,  and 
raises  the  application  of  these  principles  to  the  pertinent 
student  problems.  The  Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discus- 
sion give  a  series  of  thought-provoking  questions  as  a  review 
of  the  week's  chapter.  It  is  hoped  they  will  be  suggestive 
both  for  personal  meditation  and  for  class  discussion. 

Twelve  outstanding  student  questions  from  the  viewpoint  of 
Jesus'  standards  of  action  are  considered  in  this  book.  No 
chronological  study  of  the  facts  of  His  life,  or  detailed 
analysis  of  His  character,  has  been  attempted.  The  issues  in 
each  one  of  these  questions  are  frankly  considered.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  text  is  more  than  a  book  of  ethics.  It  looks 
directly  to  the  life  and  words  of  Jesus  for  the  solution 
of  these  student  problems.  Care  has  been  taken  to  avoid  the 
proof -text  method  and  the  warping  of  any  particular  passage 
to  fit  a  particular  purpose.  A  reverent  attempt  has  been  made 
to  discover  in  the  life  of  Jesus  those  great,  underlying  prin- 
ciples that  are  pertinent  to  these  particular  problems. 

For  the  purpose  in  hand  it  has  been  considered  better, 
instead  of  commencing  with  the  text  of  the  Bible  and  seeking 


STUDENT  STANDARDS'  OF  ACTION 

to  find  its  general  application  to  our  lives,  to  begin  with  the 
problem  and  then  seek  the  Bible  principles  which  alone  will 
solve  the  problem 

This  text  will  do  its  best  service  where,  in  academic 
study  or  previous  Sunday-school  training,  there  has  been 
secured  a  background  knowledge  of  the  life  and  times  of  the 
Master. 

This  text  has  grown  so  completely  out  of  the  cooperation 
of  students,  professors  and  others  acquainted  with  the  colleges, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  give  credit  to  all  who  have  rendered 
assistance.  The  text  has  been  discussed  at  every  stage  of  its 
development,  and  continuous  help  has  been  given,  both  in 
committee  meetings  and  personally,  by  Dr.  Geo.  T.  Webb, 
Dr.  Henry  H.  Meyer  and  Dr.  B.  S.  Winchester,  Sunday-school 
Editors  of  the  Baptist,  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Congre- 
gational denominations,  and  members  of  the  Sunday-school 
Council  Sub-Committee  on  College  Courses;  and  by  the 
secretaries  responsible  for  voluntary  study  in  the  Student 
Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  and 
Student  Volunteer  Movement,  and  members  of  the  Committee 
on  Voluntary  Study.  The  authors  are  under  obligation  to 
jProf ,  Ernest  DeWitt  Burton  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  and 
prof.  Edward  Everett  Nourse  of  Hartford  Theological  Semi- 
nary, for  help  on  New  Testament  exegesis.  They  wish  also  to 
thank  Prof.  Norman  E.  Richardson  of  Boston  University 
School  of  Theology;  Prof.  Henry  B.  Wright  of  Yale  Divinity 
School;  Dr.  Ralph  Welles  Keeler,  Assistant  Editor  of  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Sunday-school  publications;  Mrs.  Stephen 
Baker,  Mrs.  Theresa  Wilbur  Paist,  and  other  representatives 
of  the  Women's  Movement  in  the  United  States;  and  Miss 
Una  M.  Saunders  of  the  Canadian  Women's  Movement,  for 
detailed  and  constructive  suggestions  on  the  manuscript. 
Especially  are  the  authors  under  obligation  to  Mr.  Frederick 
M.  Harris  of  the  International  Committee  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations  for  repeated  help  on  the  manuscript 
and  for  his  final  careful  editorial  revisions. 


6 


INTRODUCTION 


COLLEGE  VOLUNTARY   STUDY   COURSES 

"Student  Standards  of  Action"  is  the  first  of  a  series  of 
texts  to  be  known  as  College  Voluntary  Study  Courses.  The 
general  outline  for  this  curriculum  has  been  prepared  by  the 
Committee  on  Voluntary  Study  of  the  Council  of  North 
American  Student  Movements,  representing  the  Student 
Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's  Christian  Associations 
and  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  and  the  Sub-Committee 
on  College  Courses  of  the  Sunday  School  Council  of  Evan- 
gelical Denominations,  representing  twenty-nine  communions. 
Therefore  the  texts  are  planned  for  the  use  of  student  classes 
in  the  Sunday  school,  as  well  as  for  the  supplementary  groups 
on  the  campus.  The  present  text  has  been  written  from  a 
detailed  outline  prepared  by  these  two  Committees  and  under 
their  direction,  and  it  is  expected  that  such  outlines  will  be 
prepared  for  future  courses. 

The  texts  are  not  suited  for  use  in  the  academic  curriculum, 
for  they  have  been  definitely  planned  for  voluntary  study 
classes.  In  the  preparation  of  the  outline  there  was  extended 
consultation  and  cooperation  with  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Associations  of  Biblical  Instructors  and  with  various  pro- 
fessors, both  individually  and  through  the  Universities  and 
Colleges  Section  of  the  Religious  Education  Association. 
Dealing,  as  they  do,  with  the  more  immediate  problems  of 
students,  both  personal,  social  and  missionary,  and  intended 
as  the  basis  of  voluntary  action,  the  texts  are  definitely 
planned  to  supplement  academic  work  in  the  Bible,  foreign 
missions,  sociology  and  economics.  Indeed,  they  will  be  most 
effective  where  the  members  of  the  group  have  had  or  are 
taking  work  in  the  academic  curriculum  along  these  lines  as 
a  background. 

This  series,  covering  four  years,  will  form  a  minimum 
curriculum  for  the  voluntary  study  of  the  Bible,  foreign 

7 


STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

missions  and  North  American  problems.  Daily  Bible  readings 
will  be  printed  with  each  text.  The  student  viewpoint  will  be 
given  first  emphasis — what  are  the  student  interests,  what  are 
the  student  problems. 

SUGGESTIONS  TO  THE  GROUP 

The  most  interesting  and  effective  discussions  in  the  group 
or  class  are  possible  only  when  the  members  have  studied 
the  lessons  personally.  The  text,  first,  has  brief  Daily  Read- 
ings as  the  basis  of  a  growing  friendship  with  God.  The 
readings  for  each  week  are  numbered  1  to  7,  intended 
for  the  first  day,  second  day,  etc.  The  Study  for  the  Week 
is  intended  as  the  basis  for  a  longer  period  once  a  week  when 
more  extended  and  careful  study  can  be  devoted  to  the  week's 
problem  and  Bible  passages. 

While  the  general  arrangement  of  chapters  in  the  book 
conform  to  a  regular  development  of  the  theme,  it  will  often 
be  found  convenient  in  certain  study  groups  to  follow  a 
different  order. 

The  Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion  are  arranged 
in  the  order  of  a  lesson  plan,  with  a  few  main  heads  and 
several  sub-topics  or  questions.  There  are  many  more  of 
these  sub-topics  than  any  group  could  use;  those  most 
pertinent  to  the  college  situation  should  be  selected.  In  any 
case,  these  suggestions  are  intended  only  as  suggestions; 
every  leader  and  group  will  need  to  make  out  their  own 
questions.  At  all  times  must  the  particular  local  college 
situation  be  kept  in  mind:  what  are  the  concrete  aspects  of 
this  problem  found  in  our  college?  what  can  we  do  here? 
what  are  we  going  to  do  about  it?  Never  let  the  discussion 
be  dissipated  in  generalities. 

In  this  book  some  use  is  made  of  paraphrases  and  of  ren- 
derings of  Scripture  into  modern  speech.  By  permission  of 
the  publishers,  Pilgrim  Press,  a  number  of  passages  have 
been  quoted  directly  from  Weymouth's  "New  Testament  in 
Modern  Speech." 

8 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  COLLEGE  PURPOSE 


DAILY  READINGS 

Why  did  we  come  to  college?  Some  students  are  here 
because  their  friends  came,  or  just  because  it  is  the  thing 
to  do.  Some  think  it  will  help  them  make  a  living.  Some 
are  looking  for  information,  others  for  discipline,  others  for 
culture.  With  their  parents  some  believe  that  this  is  the 
surest  way  to  secure  a  real  enrichment  of  life.  Some  are 
determined  to  prepare  themselves  in  the  best  way  for  the 
largest  social  service. 

Are  we  glad  we  came? 

1.  What  makes  college  worth  while?  The  state  invests 
large  sums  of  money  in  higher  education,  for  she  would  have 
her  citizens  clear  thinkers,  skilled  in  the  high  art  of  living. 
The  church  demands  trained  leaders  and  endows  colleges  that 
there  may  be  people  fitted  to  carry  on  tomorrow's  work.  Men 
and  women  gladly  share  the  results  of  years  of  study  with 
younger  generations.  Parents  and  children  stop  at  no  sacrifice 
that  leads  to  the  coveted  prize — a  college  diploma.  Why  is 
this? 

The  demand  for  this  generation  is  efficiency,  trained  work- 
manship, invested  talents.  To  each  of  us  has  been  intrusted 
five  talents  or  two  or  one.  What  are  we  to  do  with  the  trust? 

Straightway  he  that  received  the  five  talents  went 
and  traded  with  them,  and  made  other  five  talents. 
In  like  manner  he  also  that  received  the  two  gained 
other  two.  But  he  that  received  the  one  went  away 
and  digged  in  the  earth,  and  hid  his  lord's  money. — 
Matt.  25 : 16-18. 

9 


[1-2]         STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

How  are  we  to  invest  our  talents  so  that  they  will  show  real 
increase  as  we  leave  college  for  larger  fields  of  service? 

2.  What  is  the  place  of  culture  in  education?    A  useful 
citizen  is  more  than  a  perfectly  trained  workman,  a  machine 
that  produces  satisfactory  material  at  top  speed.     He  needs 
that  development  of  all  his  talents  which  enables  him  to  reach 
out  to  many  different  interests;  that  enrichment  of  sympathy 
which  makes  it  possible  for  him  to  appreciate  other  men's 
point  of  view;   that   resourcefulness   which   helps   him   find, 
even  amid  adverse  circumstances,  the  fulness  of  life.     Two 
sons   had   been    offered    all   the    resources    of   their   father's 
house.     One   of   them   demanded   his    inheritance   and   went 
abroad;   the   other  remained   at  home   and  thought  he  was 
much  abused.     "You  never  gave  me  a  fatted  calf,"  he  com- 
plained.    One  wonders  if  he  understood  his  father's  answer: 
"Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  is  mine  is  thine." 
How  many  of  us  know  the  truth  of  that  word  of  the  wise 
man? — 

Happy  is  the  man  that  findeth  wisdom, 

And  the  man  that  getteth  understanding. 

For  the  gaining  of  it  is  better  than  the  gaining  of 

silver, 
And  the  profit  thereof  than  fine  gold. 

— Prov.  3 : 13,  14. 

Can  every  college  student  have  real  culture? 

3.  What  is  the  reason  for  a  college  education?    The  wise 
man  said: 

Wisdom  is  the  principal  thing;  therefore  get  wisdom; 
Yea,  with  all  thy  getting  get  understanding. 
Exalt  her,  and  she  will  promote  thee; 
She  will  bring  thee  to  honor,  when  thou  dost  embrace 
"her.— Prov.  4:7,  8. 

Is  this  the  reason  for  a  college  education?  Wherein  lay 
the  fault  of  that  exemplary  young  ruler  who  went  away 
sorrowful  from  the  presence  of  Jesus? 

10 


THE  COLLEGE  PURPOSE  [1-4] 

And  behold,  one  came  to  him  and  said,  Teacher, 
what  good  thing  shall  I  do,  that  I  may  have  eternal 
life?  And  he  said  unto  him,  Why  askest  thou  me 
concerning  that  which  is  good?  One  there  is  who  is 
good:  but  if  thou  wouldest  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
commandments.  He  saith  unto  him,  Which?  And 
Jesus  said,  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  steal,  Thou  shall  not  bear 
false  witness,  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother;  and, 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  The  young 
man  saith  unto  him,  all  these  things  have  I  observed: 
what  lack  I  yet?  Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou  wouldest 
be  perfect,  go,  sell  that  which  thou  hast,  and  give  to 
the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven :  and 
come,  follow  me.  But  when  the  young  man  heard  the 
saying,  he  went  away  .sorrowful;  for  he  was  one  that 
had  great  possessions. — Matt.  19 : 16-22. 

He  had  all  that  family  and  wealth  and  upright  living  could 
give.  Yet  he  was  afraid  that  he  would  miss  the  boon  of  life. 
Jesus  said,  "Share  with  others."  "Can  that  be  the  way  to 
the  life  most  worth  while?" 

4.  How  does  college  foreshadow  the  future?  College  is 
not  merely  a  preparation  for  the  future.  Here  are  four  years 
of  daily  living.  The  community  here  is  not  unlike  the  big 
world  outside.  It  is  as  easy  for  us  to  forget  our  neighbors 
as  it  will  be  in  years  to  come.  There  are  community  interests 
which  we  may  share  or  ignore.  There  is  the  opportunity  for 
clean  politics  and  the  temptation  to  underhand  dealing. 

He  that  is  faithful  in  a  very  little  is  faithful  also  in 
much :  and  he  that  is  unrighteous  in  a  very  little  is 
unrighteous  also  in  much.  If  therefore  ye  have  not 
been  faithful  in  the  unrighteous  mammon,  who  will 
commit  to  your  trust  the  true  riches  ?  And  if  ye  have 
not  been  faithful  in  that  which  is  another's,  who  will 
give  you  that  which  is  your  own? — Luke  16:  10-12. 

Have  we  sometimes  thought  that  we  could  shirk  here  and 
prove  industrious  and  reliable  after  college?  Have  we 

11 


[1-5]         STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

thought  that  we  could  bury  our  talents  now,  and  find  them 
doubled  four  years  hence? 

5.  What  are  the  resources  of  college?    The  music  and  art, 
the  literature  and  science  of  the  college  curriculum  point  the 
way  to  undiscovered  countries  which   call  to   a  lifetime  of 
delightful  exploration.    The  wide  world  passes  by.    There  is 
the    lecturer    from    China,    the    professor    who    studied    in 
Germany,   the   boy   whose   childhood   was   passed   in   Brazil. 
Different  parts  of  the  map,  which  before  were  only  patches 
of  color,  become  real  countries  inhabited  by  real  people,  who, 
in  spite  of  their  differences  of  custom  and  points  of  view,  are 
very  likable.     Are  we  seizing  any  part  of  this  great  oppor- 
tunity to  increase  our  knowledge,  deepen  our  sympathies,  and 
improve  our  judgments? 

Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  field :  and  as  he  came 
and  drew  nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  music  and 
dancing.  And  he  called  to  him  one  of  the  servants, 
and  inquired  what  these  things  might  be.  And  he  said 
unto  him,  Thy  brother  is  come;  and  thy  father  hath 
killed  the  fatted  calf,  because  he  hath  received  him 
safe  and  sound.  But  he  was  angry  and  would  not  go 
in :  and  his  father  came  out,  and  entreated  him.  But 
he  answered  and  said  to  his  father,  Lo,  these  many 
years  do  I  serve  thee,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  com- 
mandment of  thine;  and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a 
kid,  that  I  might  make  merry  with  my  friends:  but 
when  this  thy  son  came,  who  hath  devoured  thy 
living  with  harlots,  thou  killedst  for  him  the  fatted 
calf.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Son,  thou  art  ever  with 
me,  and  all  that  is  mine  is  thine.  But  it  was  meet 
to  make  merry  and  be  glad :  for  this  thy  brother  was 
dead,  and  is  alive  again ;  and  was  lost,  and  is  found. — 
Luke  15 : 25-32. 

Are  we  blinded  to  the  college  resources  on  every  hand? 

6.  Dp    an    exemplary   life   and  faithful   study   Insure    the 
richest  college  experience?    The  rich  young  ruler  who  came 

12 


THE  COLLEGE  PURPOSE  [1-7] 

to  Jesus  had  been  living  an  exemplary  life.  He  had  carefully 
followed  all  the  directions  of  the  authorities,  but  still  found 
himself  restless  and  dissatisfied.  "What  do  I  still  lack?"  he 
asked.  "If  you  desire  to  be  perfect,"  replied  Jesus,  "go  and 
sell  all  you  have  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  you  shall  have 
wealth  in  heaven:  and  come,  follow  me."  (Matt.  19:20,  21.) 
Is  it  necessary  to  share  our  greatest  possessions  if  the  life 
in  college  is  to  be  most  worth  while ?  Do  we  ignore  the  group 
who  are  working  for  high  ideals?  Have  we  forgotten  the 
lonely  student?  Are  we  seeking  great  things  for  ourselves 
or  for  all  the  college? 

7.  What  was  the  secret  of  Jesus'  richness  of  life?  He 
invested  all  His  talents  so  wisely,  drew  so  fully  on  all  the 
resources  of  His  environment,  entered  so  completely  into  the 
life  of  His  community,  that  He  became  a  friend  of  all  the 
world.  The  Pharisee  welcomed  Him  to  his  home.  He  talked 
to  the  publican  at  his  seat  of  custom.  Among  His  disciples 
He  numbered  men  of  several  different  parties,  and  of  sharply 
divergent  personal  qualities.  The  birds  that  gathered  up  the 
seeds  on  the  beaten  path,  the  flowers  that  unfolded  their 
buds  in  the  sunlight,  always  interested  Him.  Little  children 
loved  Him  and  came  running  to  their  friend.  He  understood 
the  distress  of  the  woman  who  had  lost  one  of  her  pieces  of 
silver.  He  entered  enthusiastically  into  the  most  radical 
reforms  of  His  day,  and  persisted  unflinchingly  in  the  face  of 
opposition  from  friend  and  foe.  He  met  with  triumph  and 
disaster  and  gave  Himself  joyously  that  all  men  might  find 
the  courage  to  invest  their  talents,  the  zeal  to  lay  up  accumu- 
lated treasure  in  heaven,  the  will  to  minister  unto  their 
fellows. 

Why  have  we  come  to  college?    Are  we  finding  His  joy? 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

What  is  a  college?  If  we  may  judge  by  actions,  some 
students  consider  college  an  athletic  club  where  the  price  of 

13 


[I-s]         STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

membership  includes  attendance  upon  a  few  lectures,  unrelated 
to  the  gridiron  and  the  basket-ball  game.  Others  appear  to 
regard  college  as  a  society  center  where  the  round  of  social 
life  is  interrupted  by  the  uninteresting  details  of  Latin  and 
mathematics.  Still  others  treat  college  as  if  it  were  a  library 
of  useful  knowledge  to  be  crammed  night  and  day  until 
wisdom  is  acquired. 

What  is  a  college?  It  is  a  community  of  young  people 
gathered  for  a  common  purpose.  Many  people  think  of  a 
college  as  the  only  specialized  community.  Yet  in  this  age 
of  commercialism  all  of  us  are  familiar  with  village  after 
village  built  up  around  some  common  industry.  The  Middle 
Ages  were  characterized  by  their  religious  communities.  The 
peculiar  thing  about  the  college  community  is  its  purpose. 
When  all  the  world  is  calling,  "Come,  try  your  skill,"  the 
college  student  has  heard  another  word — "You  are  not  yet 
ready ;  come  to  college  and  prepare  for  your  work."  We  have 
answered  that  call.  Are  we  pressing  forward  to  success  or 
failure? 

The  man  of  limited  ability 

Through  the  week  we  have  been  thinking  of  three  young 
men  who  closed  their  eyes,  to  the  opportunities  before  them. 
The  first  was  a  man  of  small  ability.  Even  his  master  recog- 
nized that,  for  he  intrusted  him  with  only  one  talent.  And 
the  servant  said :  "I  can't  do  enough  to  make  it  pay.  My 
master  hasn't  given  me  a  fair  chance.  There's  no  use  trying." 
So  he  gave  up,  and  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground  for  his  talent. 
Have  we  ever  heard  a  student  say:  "It  would  be  easy  for  me 
to  succeed  if  I  were  bright.  No  one  appreciates  how  hard  I 
work"? 

After  a  while  the  master  returned.  Two  of  the  servants 
had  doubled  their  talents  and  they  had  no  word  of  complaint 
for  their  long  hours  of  toil.  They  had  simply  done  their 
duty.  And  to  each  the  master  gave  greater  responsibility; 
for  through  the  long  months  of  his  absence  their  skill  had 

14 


THE  COLLEGE  PURPOSE  [I-s] 

increased  and  their  efficiency  had  become  more  marked, 
because  they  had  done  well  the  task  intrusted  to  them.  But 
the  young  man  who  had  given  up  because  his  talent  was  so 
small,  who  had  refused  all  effort,  found  himself  in  the  outer 
darkness  of  unfaithfulness  and  procrastination.  Was  it 
because  he  had  only  one  talent?  The  same  reward  was  given 
to  the  man  with  two  talents  as  to  the  one  with  five.  "You 
have  done  well,  good  and  trustworthy  servant,"  replied  his 
master;  "you  have  been  trustworthy  in  the  management  of 
a  little ;  I  will  put  you  in  charge  of  much :  share  your  master's 
joy."  (Matt.  25:21.)  //  the  servant  with  one  talent  had 
doubled  his  master's  money,  would  he  have  received  the  same 
reward  as  the  others? 

Every  thoughtful  student  recognizes  that  skill  is  attained 
only  at  the  heavy  price  of  discipline  and  self-control.  We 
admire  the  deftness  of  the  skilled  mechanic,  we  wonder  at 
the  technique  of  the  great  pianist,  and  speak  with  admiration 
of  the  perfect  ease  with  which  he  handles  his  instrument. 
We  came  to  college  to  secure  the  freedom  which  training  gives. 
Is  the  parable  true  to  life  in  saying  that  the  reward  is 
bestowed  not  because  of  the  number  of  a  man's  talents,  but 
because  of  his  faithfulness? 

A  man  blind  to  his  opportunities 

The  man  who  buried  his  master's  money  was  not  the  only 
failure.  The  elder  brother  failed  to  take  advantage  of  the 
opportunities  about  him.  When  his  younger  brother  returned 
he  blamed  his  father  for  all  that  he  had  missed.  But  his 
father  said  in  surprise:  "Son,  you  are  always  with  me,  and 
all  that  is  mine  is  thine."  It  is  so  easy  to  see  opportunities 
after  they  are  gone,  or  to  blame  environment  for  failure. 
How  many  such  people  there  are !  Did  you  ever  hear  one  of 
them  say,  "They  tell  me  I  would  be  a  right  smart  man  if 
I  lived  in  a  different  sort  of  a  place"?  And  because  he  was 
unhappy  on  the  mountain  farm  and  could  not  make  a  living, 
he  left  the  farm  deserted.  But  his  neighbor  next  door  trans- 

15 


[I-s]         STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

formed  the  stony  hillside  into  an  orchard,  and  he  has  never 
been  persuaded  that  in  all  the  galleries  of  the  world  there 
could  be  more  wonderful  pictures  of  mountains  and  cloud  and 
sky  than  those  from  his  own  sunny  window.  The  Son  of 
Man  had  not  place  to  lay  His  head,  but  at  His  death  He 
bequeathed  to  His  friends  His  joy. 

Are  there  any  "elder  brothers"  about  the  campus?  They 
fail  to  see  the  opportunities  for  enrichment  of  life  on  every 
side.  The  laboratory  and  the  library  offer  monotonous 
grind.  There  are  really  no  people  worth  knowing.  They 
think  that  the  college  is  a  dull  place,  for  they  have  no  interest 
but  themselves. 

This  enrichment  of  capacities  for  the  best  living  is  one  great 
purpose  of  college.  An  invalid  girl,  whose  physician  said 
she  could  not  live  more  than  ten  years,  deliberately  went  to 
college  so  that  those  years  might  have  in  them  resources 
which  would  make  them  more  worth  while. 

A  man  who  refused  the  price  of  success 

It  is  true  that  the  man  who  goes  in  search  of  things  for 
himself  finds  the  quest  more  and  more  elusive.  The  greatest 
tragedy  of  all  is  found  in  the  young  man  who  went  out  to 
search  for  the  highest  and  best,  and  yet  was  staggered  by  the 
price.  The  rich  and  just  young  ruler  had  all  that  wealth 
could  give  him,  and  had  kept  every  least  commandment 
diligently  all  of  his  life,  but  was  dissatisfied  and  came  to 
Jesus.  "Teacher,"  he  said,  "what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  the 
life  of  the  ages?"  To  Jesus'  demand  that  he  keep  the  com- 
mandments, he  answered  with  pride,  "All  of  these  I  have  kept 
from  my  youth."  Yet  he  could  not  escape  the  sense  of  lack. 
He  was  young  and  rich,  a  great  future  lay  before  him.  And 
in  his  strength  and  promise  the  Master  loved  the  young  man. 
Then  He  said  to  him,  "One  thing  is  lacking  in  you;  go,  sell 
all  you  possess  and  give  the  proceeds  to  the  poor,  and  come, 
and  be  a  follower  of  mine." 

16 


THE  COLLEGE  PURPOSE  [I-sJ 

There  hangs  in  one  of  the  great  London  galleries  the 
picture  of  the  young  man  hurrying  down  the  dusty  road.  His 
back  is  turned.  His  form  is  bent  with  the  weight  of  dis- 
appointment. He  clutches  the  folds  of  his  rich  robe  about 
him.  Jesus  watches  him  sorrowfully  as,  with  reluctant  haste, 
he  takes  his  departure.  He  is  staggered  by  the  price  of 
friendship  with  the  man  who  came  not  to  be  served,  but  to 
share. 

Again  and  again  there  comes  to  every  college  student  the 
challenge  to  share  whatever  his  wealth  may  be.  In  reply  he 
promises  that  he  will  serve  the  world  when  these  days  of 
preparation  are  over,  quite  forgetful  of  the  fact  that  every 
day  he  is  beating  hard  the  path  of  habit,  as  he  puts  himself 
first  and  his  neighbor's  need  far  off,  too  busy  now  to  think 
of  others.  When  will  he  find  time? 

Every  college  hall  is  crowded  with  undergraduates  who 
have  received  the  trust  of  a  college  opportunity.  The  chal- 
lenge is  before  them  as  to  the  use  they  will  make  of  it.  What 
they  have  is  not  theirs  alone,  to  be  used  as  they  please;  it  is 
a  trust  given  them  for  others.  The  appeal  of  the  world's  need 
is  heard  even  now. 

We  that  are  weak  are  lonelier  tonight 
For  all  the  learned — 

The  men  of  knowledge,  those  who  might 
Have  warmed  the  world's  worn  heart — have  turned 
To  unenduring  things. 
And  those  who  yearned 

For  God's  great  gift  of  vision — and  the  wings 
Of  mighty  Truth,  have  each  one  spurned 
The  life  of  sacrifice  and  service  meet 
For  sorrow's  feet. 

And  hearts  not  dead — not  living — that  once  burned 
As  mine  does  now  are  cold. 
Do  they  forget  the  meek? 
Shall  those  who  might  be  bold 
To  stoop  and  gather  all  the  poor  and  old 
In  an  immortal  happiness  be  weak? 
17 


[I-s]         STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 
SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

Why  did  you  come  to  college? 

What   determines   whether   attending    college   will   be   worth 
while  f 

Was  it  fair  that  the  two  men  with  different  talents  but  with 
equal  faithfulness  should  have  received  the  same  reward? 
How  far  is  this  true  of  college? 

To  what  extent  does  environment,  and  to  what  extent  does 
personal  capacity,  determine  possibilities  for  the  largest  life? 
Was  the  elder  brother  justified  in  his  complaint  to  his  father? 

What  was  the  real  cause  of  the  rich  young  ruler's  refusal? 
What  are  the  results  of  refusing  to  share  in  college? 

What  is  the  college  purpose? 

How  is  skill  determined?  Is  achievement  ever  the  result  of 
luck  or  chance?  What  is  the  difference  between  taking  a 
chance  and  the  spirit  of  adventure  which  makes  new  achieve- 
ments possible? 

Are  cultural  studies  necessary  to  the  college  purpose? 

How  far  does  refusing  to  share  defeat  the  college  purpose? 

If  a  person  fails  in  college  is  he  likely  to  succeed  in  life? 

Why  was  Jesus  able  to  deal  so  successfully  with  all  types  of 
people? 


18 


CHAPTER  II 

READJUSTMENTS 

DAILY  READINGS 

A  new  environment  means  readjustments  of  many  sorts. 
All  of  us  live  most  easily  in  a  certain  routine  of  life.  We 
grow  accustomed  to  certain  sights,  sounds,  and  people,  to 
certain  ways  of  doing  things.  When  we  go  to  a  new  place 
our  routine  of  life  is  broken.  We  have  to  fit  into  new  condi- 
tions, get  acquainted  with  new  people,  learn  to  adjust  our 
plans  and  ideas  to  others.  Every  new  experience  means 
unexpected  opportunities  and  restrictions,  change  of  ideas, 
strange  problems,  and  new  decisions.  How  true  this  has  been 
of  the  experience  at  college ! 

1.  Why  is  adjustment  to  a  new  experience  difficult?  Why 
is  it  hard  to  do  anything  to  which  we  are  unaccustomed  ? 

The  child  who  is  learning  to  swim  does  not  know  how  to 
control  his  muscles  or  which  move  to  make  next,  but  the 
boy  or  girl  who  has  been  brought  up  by  the  sea  or  lake  is 
entirely  puzzled  to  know  why  anybody  would  find  it  hard  to 
swim.  It  is  quite  as  easy  as  walking. 

This  is  equally  true  in  any  new  experience.  We  are  not 
sure  of  ourselves,  we  do  not  know  what  move  to  make  next; 
but  those  accustomed  to  the  environment  are  perfectly  at 
home.  In  college  there  are  so  many  students  whose  ideas  are 
quite  different  from  our  own.  The  very  life  of  the  college 
makes  decisions  necessary;  and  yet  we  are  not  sure  whether 
to  follow  or  whether  to  continue  as  we  have  always  done,  or 
to  do  as  we  now  see  others  doing.  A  new  situation  always 
tests  the  real  stuff  of  which  we  are  macfe! 


[II-2]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

"Reckon  it  nothing  but  joy,  my  brethren,  whenever  you 
find  yourselves  hedged  in  by  various  trials.  Be  assured  that 
the  testing  of  your  faith  leads  to  power  of  endurance.  Only 
let  endurance  have  perfect  results  so  that  you  may  become 
perfect  and  complete,  deficient  in  nothing."  (James  1 :  2-4.) 

takes  faith  and  courage  to  be  true  to  oneself  and  yet 
ecome  successfully  a  part  of  the  college^ 

2.  What  place  have   the   home  ideals  in   the   life   of  the 
college  man  or  woman?     Everyone  of  us  has   heard  many 
times  in  one  form  or  another  the  injunction  given  to  a  certain 
young  man: 

My  son,  keep  the  commandment  of  thy  father, 
And  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy  mother : 
Bind  them  continually  upon  thy  heart; 
Tie  them  about  thy  neck. 
When  thou  walkest,  it  shall  lead  thee; 
When  thou  sleepest,  it  shall  watch  over  thee ; 
And  when  thou  awakest,  it  shall  talk  with  thee. 

— Prov.  6:20-22. 

Jesus  was  carefully  taught  the  law,  as  was  every  Jewish 
boy.  When  He  went  out  from  His  home  for  His  life  work 
His  fundamental  standard  was  the  one  He  had  been  taught 
in  His  home  at  Nazareth. 

Hear,  O  Israel :  Jehovah  our  God  is  one  Jehovah : 
and  thou  shalt  love  Jehovah  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  might. — 
Deut.  6 :  4,  5. 

....  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. — 
Lev.  19:18. 

These  principles  always  formed  the  standard  of  His 
conduct,  and  took  on  a  deeper  meaning  as  He  gave  them 
expression  in  His  life  and  work. 

What  is  the  difference  between  obeying  home  rules  and 
being  loyal  to  home  standards? 

3.  How  far  ought  the  standards  of  the  crowd  influence 
a  student's  ideal?     The  college  community   seems  like  a  big 

20 


READJUSTMENTS  [II-4] 

overcrowded  family.  There  is  never  any  chance  to  be 
really  alone.  The  social  pressure  of  the  class  room,  the 
boarding  club,  the  rooming  or  fraternity  house,  never  ceases. 
Any  attempt  to  act  differently  from  the  crowd  makes  a 
student  feel  queer  and  out  of  place.  Must  he  yield  to  the 
pressure  of  the  college  life  and  follow  blindly  what  the  crowd 
decides? 

Jesus  was  constantly  in  the  midst  of  crowds  who  insisted 
that  He  should  follow  their  wishes. 

Jesus  therefore  perceiving  that  they  were  about  to 
come  and  take  him  by  force,  to  make  him  king,  with- 
drew again  into  the  mountain  himself  alone. — John 
6:15. 

If  He  had  yielded  to  their  demand,  He  might  have  won  the 
plaudits  of  His  generation,  but  true  to  His  own  ideals  He 
refused  and  "upon  this  many  of  His  disciples  went  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  Him." 

How  many  of  us  dare  to  be  ourselves,  even  when  we  stand 
alone  against  the  crowd? 

4.  How  far  has  a  person  a  right  to  do  as  he  pleases?    Some 
people  say:  "What  business  is  it  of  anybody  else  what  I  do? 
I  do  not  see  why  I  should  pay  any  attention  to  the  wishes  of 
my  home  or  my  friends  or  anybody  else.    What  I  want  is  to 
be  free." 

There  was  once  a  young  man  who  thought  he  would  like 
to  try  doing  as  he  pleased.  So  he  said  to  his  father :  "Give  me 
the  share  of  the  property  that  comes  to  me."  And  his  father 
did  not  refuse.  The  young  fellow  tried  the  experiment;  and 
"when  he  came  to  himself"  he  realized  that  having  his  own 
way  had  really  meant  slavery  instead  of  freedom.  His  one 
desire  then  was  to  go  back  where  he  could  have  the  counsel 
and  help  which  he  had  received  before.  (Luke  15:  11-32.) 

Is  license  ever  liberty?    When  are  we  really  free? 

5.  What  is  the  value  of  college  traditions?     The  writers 
of  the  Gospels  were  so  much   impressed  with  Jesus'  attack 

21 


[II-6]       STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

upon  the  "traditions  of  the  elders"  that  we  sometimes  feel 
that  Jesus  opposed  all  tradition.  But  this  impression  fades 
away  before  any  thoughtful  study  of  His  life.  If  Jesus' 
ministry  had  been  carried  on  in  Central  Africa  a  century  ago, 
the  record  would  necessarily  have  been  very  different.  Jesus 
came  to  a  people  who  believed  in  one  God,  righteous,  just,, 
holy.  Some  of  their  prophets  had  even  spoken  of  Him  as  a 
Father.  Jesus  came  to  a  people  who  had  centuries  of  training 
in  righteousness.  While  He  attacked  such  "traditions  of  the 
elders"  as  were  ethically  unsound  or  religiously  harmful,  He 
took  full  advantage  of  the  wonderful  heritage  of  fine  religious 
traditions. 

Think  not  that  I  came  to  destroy  the  law  or  the 
prophets :  I  came  not  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.  For 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass 
away,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  away 
from  the  law,  till  all  things  be  accomplished.  Who- 
soever therefore  shall  break  one  of  these  least  com- 
mandments, and  shall  teach  men  so,  shall  be  called 
least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  but  whosoever  shall 
do  and  teach  them,  he  shall  be  called  great  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  except 
your  righteousness  shall  exceed  the  righteousness  of 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — Matt.  5 :  17-20. 

Every  college  has  its  traditions,  the  heritage  of  the  past 
thought  and  actions  of  its  students  during  all  the  years  of  the 
college's  history.  Various  college  organizations  have  appro- 
priated the  ideals  of  their  founders.  Happy  are  we  to  have 
come  into  such  a  heritage.  What  contributions  are  these 
traditions  making  to  our  lives? 

6.  What  is  the  responsibility  of  the  undergraduate  to 
college  customs?  While  it  is  true  that  Jesus'  ministry  was 
based  on  fundamental  loyalty  to  all  that  was  fine  in  the  past,  He 
was  not  content  simply  to  adopt  these  ideals  without  thought. 
Some  of  the  traditions  He  found  were  bad  and  He  refused  to 

22 


READJUSTMENTS  [11-7] 

support  them.  "Why  do  you,  too,"  He  retorted,  "transgress 
God's  commands  for  the  sake  of  yo,ur  tradition?"  .... 
(Matt.  15:3.) 

The  great  ideals  He  wrought  into  the  very  heart  of  His 
life  and  made  them  His  own,  but  He  was  not  even  content 
with  this;  He  filled  them  with  greater  meaning  and  added 
His  own  original  contribution  to  the  religious  life  of  His 
people. 

No  student  has  a  right  to  accept  without  thought  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  college  or  the  college  organization.  Some  of 
them  he  may  find  so  contrary  to  his  ideas  of  right  and  honor 
that  he  will-  need  quietly  to  refuse  to  follow  them.  The  best 
traditions  must  become  his  own  because  he  believes  in  them. 
Certainly  if  the  college  is  to  grow,  its  ideals  should  be  richer 
and  better  because  of  the  life  of  every  student. 

Will  the  traditions  of  the  college  be  finer  and  richer  when 
our  class  graduates? 

7.  Who  succeeds  in  the  new  environment?  The  real  test 
of  success  in  anv  situation  iff  adaptability.  Adaptability  is 
really  teachableness,  and  teachableness  is  essential  to  growth. 
Unwillingness  to  adjust  oneself  to  the  ideas  of  others  is  really 
little  short  of  self-conceit.  The  great  man  is  true  to  the  best 
in  his  past,  but  he  adjusts  it  to  his  new  surroundings.  He 
becomes  a  part  of  the  best  in  the  present  and  lays  the 
foundation  for  the  future. 

Jesus  laid  down  this  adaptability,  teachableness,  as  one  of 
the  primary  laws  of  His  Kingdom.  He  said: 

....  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye  turn,  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Whosoever  therefore 
shall  humble  himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is 
the  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — Matt.  18: 
3,  4. 

Are  we  meeting  this  test  of  success  in  the  college  environ- 
ment? 

23 


[II-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 
• 

Who  plans  to  go  to  college?  Most  secondary  school  stu- 
dents in  North  America  can  go  on  with  further  education  if 
they  really  desire.  Of  course  there  are  some  who  are 
prevented  by  insurmountable  difficulties.  Many  others  are 
perfectly  satisfied  with  their  present  training  and  preparation. 
"I  know  enough  to  carry  on  the  kind  of  business  I  am  going 
into.  If  I  go  on  studying  any  longer  I  won't  make  any  more 
when  I  am  through  than  I  can  now.  What's  the  use?  I  can 
succeed  anyway." 

But  the  person  who  goes  to  college  is  not  satisfied  with  his 
present  education.  He  says  with  Paul,  "not  as  if  I  had 
already  attained." 

It  is  this  spirit  which  usually  leads  to  a  change  of  environ- 
ment. The  boy  who  goes  from  the  East  to  the  West  or  the 
South  because  he  thinks  there  are  greater  opportunities ;  one 
who  goes  from  the  country  to  the  city,  or  the  city  to  the 
country  because  he  hopes  for  a  better  chance  of  succeeding; 
the  European  who  emigrates  to  America  because  America 
is  the  land  of  promise — all  of  these  are  dissatisfied  with 
present  opportunities.  They  are  looking  for  greater  success 
in  the  new  environment.  "They  have  their  eyes  fixed  on  the 
coming  reward." 

This  characteristic  of  dissatisfaction  with  present  attain- 
ments is  the  first  essential  of  growth.  It  does  not  follow, 
however,  that  because  you  are  dissatisfied  with  your  attain- 
ment that  you  must  change  your  environment.  But  a  person 
who  has  gone  to  a  new  place  has  shown  that  he  has  this 
requisite  of  growth — dissatisfaction  with  present  attainment. 
It  remains  to  be  seen  whether  he  has  the  determination  to 
press  on  to  greater  achievement. 

We  are  in  college  because  we  wanted  something  more  than 
we  had.  Have  we  the  stamina  to  keep  at  the  job  even  if  it 
becomes  irksome? 

24 


READJUSTMENTS  [II-sJ  - 

Readjustments  in  a  new  environment 

What  new  conditions  does  the  college  student  have  to  face? 
Most  students  have  come  to  college  directly  from  home;  they 
have  lived  in  a  house  with  all  the  freedom  of  several  rooms. 
Now  they  must  live  in  one  room.  They  have  lived  all  their 
lives  with  people  with  whom  they  were  well  acquainted;  now 
they  have  to  adjust  themselves  to  living  with  students  with 
different  ideas  and  different  ways  of  doing  things.  All  their 
lives  their  tastes  have  been  consulted,  their  interests  have  been 
given  due  importance  in  the  family  plans ;  now  it  almost  seems 
as  if  they  were  losing  their  identity  in  the  general  crowd. 
Under  these  new  conditions  the  person  who  thinks  only  of 
having  his  own  way  soon  finds  himself  forced  to  make  some 
readjustments,  or  be  left  as  a  recluse  quite  out  of  the  running. 

College  brings  also  far  greater  freedom  of  action,  although 
there  are  some  unexpected  restrictions.  In  the  German 
gymnasium,  corresponding  to  our  high  school,  life  is  regulated 
to  the  minutest  detail.  But  the  German  university  has  no 
regulations  or  rules.  The  student  is  not  even  required  to 
attend  lectures  unless  he  feels  so  disposed.  All  too  often  this 
unaccustomed  liberty  leads  to  the  extremes  of  license.  But 
the  German  student  who  uses  his  liberty  wisely  has  become 
the  real  master  of  himself.  The  freedom  offered  by  the 
American  and  Canadian  colleges  is  not  so  extreme,  but  there 
is  a  large  opportunity  to  decide  whether  the  new  freedom 
shall  be  license  or  liberty. 

Most  young  men  and  women  have  been  unconsciously 
accepting  the  thinking  of  others,  believing  what  other  people 
believed,  following  the  standard  of  morality  of  their  home 
and  community.  But  the  college  brings  together  those  with 
such  diverse  training  in  matters  of  belief  and  conduct  that 
there  is  no  united  voice,  there  is  no  group  conscience  which 
everybody  obeys.  Students,  on  coming  to  college,  are  sur- 
prised to  find  people,  apparently  quite  as  sincere  as  themselves, 
doing  things  which  they  have  always  thought  to  be  absolutely 
wrong.  Further,  the  college  class  room  sets  them  to  thinking 

25 


III-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

on  matters  they  had  always  supposed  were  not  open  to  discus- 
sion. Many  students  are  forced  for  the  first  time  to  think 
what  they  believe;  why  they  do  as  they  do;  whether  their 
ways  are  the  better;  what  really  are  the  standards  of  their 
lives.  One  great  benefit  of  college  is  that  it  teaches  men 
and  women  to  think  for  themselves  and  to  know  the  reason 
for  their  thinking. 

Problems  of  college  readjustment 

When  the  freshman  comes  to  college  he  has  certain  ideas, 
certain  habits,  certain  principles  of  life.  Some  of  them  are  the 
accepted  precepts  of  his  home,  or  the  customs  of  those  with 
whom  he  has  been  living;  but  some  of  them  are  really  his 
own.  He  has  to  decide  how  far  he  will  follow  this  fund  of 
custom  and  ideal  with  which  he  comes  to  college;  how  far  he 
will  turn  from  it. 

When  the  freshman  reaches  college  he  finds  there  a  body 
of  college  customs  and  ideals  quite  as  well  established  as  are 
those  in  his  home  community.  He  also  finds  the  student  body 
broken  up  into  various  social  groups,  organized  or  unorgan- 
ized. These  groups  also  have  their  ideals  and  customs.  He 
has  to  decide  whether  he  can  be  at  his  best  in  a  group  with 
standards  different  from  his  own,  or  whether,  in  order  to  be 
true  to  his  ideals,  he  must  associate  with  the  crowd  that  shares 
his  purpose* 

The  ideals  of  his  home,  the  standards  of  his  parents,  the 
customs  of  the  college  and  of  the  crowd,  all  demand  his 
allegiance.  At  the  same  time  he  is  eager  for  his  freedom  as 
never  before.  He  is  almost  as  free  as  if  he  were  a  citizen 
irt"  the  world.  Now,  if  ever,  he  stands  at  the  forking  of  the 
roads.  Which  one  leads  to  his  goal?  What  shall  he  do  to 
ensure  success? 

The  laws  of  adaptability 

Anyone  who  successfully  adapts  himself  to  a  new  environ- 
ment has  four  characteristics :  a  loyalty  to  the  past,  which 

26 


READJUSTMENTS  [II-s] 

obviates  the  necessity  of  learning  everything  anew;  a  spirit 
of  teachableness,  open-minded  consideration  of  the  best  about 
him  and  appreciation  of  the  viewpoint  of  others :  a  balanced 
independence,  which  means  neither  the  slavish  acceptance  of 
other  people's  convictions,  past  or  present,  nor  the  wild  license 
that  disregards  everything  and  everybody;  a  steadfast  deter- 
mination, an  unfailing  patience,  in  the  presence  of  obstacles, 
which  persists  after  the  glamor  of  a  new  situation  has  worn 
off  and  carries  one  victorious  to  the  joy  of  work  accom- 
plished. How  far  will  these  qualities  enable  the  student  to 
meet  the  problems  of  his  college  environment?  To  what 
extent  are  they  necessary  to  success  in  a  new  place? 

Everyone  of  us  can  test  the  validity  of  these  laws  from 
his  own  experience  and  observation.  For  instance,  notice  the 
Italian  immigrant.  He  settles  on  an  abandoned  farm.  He 
brings  with  him  from  his  past  in  his  Italian  home  the  joyous- 
ness  of  sunny  skies  and  fields  bright  with  flowers.  He  also 
uses  Italian  methods  of  intensive  farming,  and  the  patient 
care  of  every  individual  plant.  But  in  the  new  land  he  takes 
advantage  of  the  greater  freedom  and  opportunity,  the 
increased  facilities  for  marketing  his  produce,  the  larger  help 
of  the  government  in  securing  good  seeds  and  eliminating 
pests.  More  than  this,  he  becomes  a  real  citizen  in  the  new 
land,  and  he  sees  to  it  that  his  children  have  the  education  of 
the  adopted  country.  He  lives  happily  on  the  farm  which  had 
been  abandoned  as  worthless  by  his  American  neighbor. 

Jesus'  adjustment  of  Himself  to  His  situation 

Everyone  of  us  has  watched,  perhaps  with  very  little  under- 
standing, the  attempts  of  many  people  to  adjust  themselves  to 
new  conditions.  We  have  said,  "I  would  not  do  it  quite  that 
way."  Jesus  made  the  transition  from  the  carpenter  shop  in 
a  little  village  among  the  hills  to  the  public  ministry  in  the 
Galilean  countryside  and  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  with  such 
complete  understanding  of  all  that  was  involved,  with  such 
perfect  adaptability  to  everyone  with  whom  He  came  in 

27 


III-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

contact  that  He,  and  He  alone,  has  perfectly  adjusted  Himself 
to  every  situation. 

Consider  all  that  is  involved  in  this  saying: 

Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor,  and  hate  thine  enemy:  but  I  say  unto  you, 
Love  your  enemies,  and  pray  for  them  that  perse- 
cute you;  that  ye  may  be  sons  of  your  Father  who  is 
in  heaven. — Matt.  5 :  43-45. 

They  were  prepared  to  find  in  Him  the  leader  of  a  popular 
revolution  against  all  authority,  but  He'  said  to  them :  "Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  thy  whole 
soul,  thy  whole  mind.  This  is  the  greatest  and  foremost 
Commandment.  And  the  second  is  similar  to  it:  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  fellow  man  as  much  as  thyself.  The  whole  of  the 
Law  and  the  Prophets  is  summed  up  in  these  two  Command- 
ments." (Matt.  22:37-40.)  Then  He  went  on  to  fill  all  that 
teaching  with  richer  meaning.  They  had  thought  of  their 
neighbors  as  fellow-religionists;  He  taught  them  that  "neigh- 
bor" was  a  term  which  belonged  to  everyone  they  met.  They 
had  been  taught  of  old  that  there  was  one  God,  righteous  and 
loving.  Certain  of  their  prophets  had  even  ventured  to  call 
Him  "Father,"  and  Israel,  His  "dear  child."  Jesus  prayed, 
"O  righteous  Father,  O  holy  Father,"  and  taught  His 
disciples  to  pray,  "Our  Father,"  until  the  words  took  on  a 
richness  of  content  unthought  of  before  the  Son  of  Man  came. 
They  learned  most  fully  what  He  meant  by  "Father,"  as  they 
saw  how  He  never  closed  His  mind  against  His  Father's  will. 
The  words  He  spoke,  the  deeds  He  did,  were  all  in  accord 
with  the  Father's  plans.  His  own  open-mindedness,  He 
insisted,  must  characterize  His  followers.  "In  solemn  truth 
I  tell  you  that  unless  you  turn  and  become  like  little  children, 
you  will  in  no  case  be  admitted  into  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven."  (Matt.  18:3.)  And  when  the  fulfillment  of  the 
Father's  will  meant  threatened  destruction  of  the  hopes  and 
ambitions  of  His  friends;  when  they  protested  against  His 
idea  of  His  mission,  He  still  "stedfastly  set  his  face  to  go 
to  Jerusalem,"  At  the  last,  in  triumphant  faith,  He  declared: 

28 


READJUSTMENTS  [II-s] 

"It  is  finished.  Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  intrust  my  spirit." 
And  the  friends  who  found  that  not  even  death  could  hold 
Him  understood  the  words,  "I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and 
the  life." 

There  is  a  loyalty  to  the  past  that  is  almost  cowardice. 
There  is  a  reckless  yielding  to  the  crowd  which  some  people 
mistake  for  bravery.  Have  we  so  truly  the  courage  of  our 
own  convictions  that  we  are  not  ashamed  to  stand  for  the 
past  where  we  believe  it  to  be  right;  that  we  do  not  hesitate 
to  follow  the  crowd  when  we  share  its  ideals  and  its  motives ? 
Are  we  true  enough  to  ourselves  to  go  where  our  ideals  take 
us  even  if  it  means  standing  still  when  the  crowd  moves,  or 
going  forward  when  the  past  would  hold  us  back? 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  are  the  advantages  and  problems  of  a  new  environment  f 

Why  does  a  person  move  to  a  new  place?  What  deter- 
mines whether  this  desire  for  new  surroundings  is  an  indication 
of  strength? 

Why  do  secondary  school  students  go  to  college? 
Why  is  the  adjustment  to  a  new  environment  difficult? 
What  new  conditions  and  problems  does  the  college  student 
have  to  face? 

What  are  the  laws  af  adaptation? 

What  evidence  of  adaptation  is  seen  in  the  life  of  Jesus? 

To  what  extent  did  He  follow  the  standards  of  His  home? 
What  place  had  the  law  and  the  religious  customs  in  His 
teaching? 

How  far  did  Jesus  follow  the  will  of  the  crowd?  The  law 
and  the  prophets?  Religious  traditions  of  His  people? 

What  emphasis  did  Jesus  place  upon  teachableness? 

What  did  Jesus  consider  His  responsibility  to  the  law  and 
the  prophets? 

29 


[II-s]       STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

How  did  Jesus  meet  discouragement  and  opposition? 

If  Jesus  had  come  to  the  heart  of  Africa  in  the  nineteenth 
century  what  different  adjustments  would  He  have  found 
necessary  in  His  work? 

What  is  the  relation  of  the  laws  of  adaptation  to  a  student's 
highest  success  in  the  college  environment? 

How  far  is  he  to  follow  the  home  standards? 

What  is  the  difference  between  obeying  home  rules  and 
following  home  standards? 

To  what  extent  should  a  student  follow  the  ideas  and  the 
customs  of  a  college?  What  is  his  responsibility  to  them? 

What  is  a  student's  responsibility  for  the  choice  of  his 
crowd?  Or  associates?  To  what  extent  are  associates  with 
the  same  ideals  necessary  to  the  best  work?  What  are  the 
difficulties  of  standing  alone  against  the  crowd? 

What  is  the  difference  between  license  and  liberty?  What 
restrictions  are  involved  in  true  liberty? 

What  makes  a  different  environment  or  a  new  task  so 
attractive?  How  does  the  joy  of  work  accomplished  compare 
with  the  attractiveness  of  a  new  task? 

What  balance  of  characteristics  is  essential  to  success  in 
a  college  environment? 


CHAPTER  III 

AN    EXPENSE   ACCOUNT 

DAILY  READINGS 

Money  is  an  ever  present  problem  with  the  undergraduate. 
Whether  he  has  a  liberal  allowance  or  is  working  his  way 
through  college,  or  receives  money  from  home  at  irregular 
intervals,  he  is  always  in  need  of  more.  There  are  certain 
expenses,  such  as  tuition  and  laboratory  fees,  which  follow 
inevitably  from  the  choice  of  a  particular  college,  but  even 
college  catalogues  indicate  a  large  range  between  the  minimum 
and  maximum  estimated  expenses.  Every  student  faces  the 
question:  For  what  is  my  money  to  be  spent?  In  many  cases 
it  does  not  seem  possible  to  make  the  amount  available  cover 
the  things  worth  while.  So  many  luxuries  come  in  the  guise 
of  college  necessities  that  it  is  hard  to  know  which  to  receive 
and  which  to  send  on  their  way. 

1.  What  determines  the  amount  a  student  has  a  right  to 
spend ?  What  are  necessary  college  expenses? 

Many  a  Russian  woman  student,  in  her  eagerness  for  an 
education,  lives  in  an  unheated  room  during  the  long  cold 
winter  and  subsists  on  bread  and  tea.  Many  an  American 
student  has  gone  through  college  without  attending  an  outside 
lecture  or  concert  or  buying  a  single  book  not  absolutely 
required  in  the  college  class  room.  The  first  example  is  one 
of  stern  necessity.  The  others  have  said  they  could  not 
afford  anything  outside. 

How  little  can  a  student  afford  to  spend  in  college?  Are 
Jesus'  principles  applicable  to  the  danger  of  dividing  pennies 
until  the  best  things  of  life  are  lost  instead  of  gained? 

31 


IIII-2]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  Be  not  anxious  for  your 
life,  what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye  shall  drink;  nor  yet 
for  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put  on.  Is  not  the  life 
more  than  the  food,  and  the  body  than  the  raiment? 
Behold  the  birds  of  the  heaven,  that  they  sow  not, 
neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns;  and  your 
heavenly  Father  feedeth  them.  Are  not  ye  of  much 
more  value  than  they?  And  which  of  you  by 
being  anxious  can  add  one  cubit  unto  the  measure  of 
his  life?  And  why  are  ye  anxious  concerning  rai- 
ment? Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they 
grow;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin:  yet  I  say 
unto  you,  that  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not 
arrayed  like  one  of  these.  But  if  God  doth  so 
clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and 
to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  much 
more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?  Be  not  there- 
fore anxious,  saying,  What  shall  we  eat?  or,  What 
shall  we  drink?  or,  Wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed? 
For  after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek;  for 
your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of 
all  these  things.— Matt.  6 :  25-32. 

Though  Paul  was  speaking  of  the  collection  for  the  poor, 
is  the  principle  he  notes  applicable  to  college  expenditures? 

....  He  that  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  also 
sparingly;  and  he  that  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap 
also  bountifully. — II  Corinthians  9  :  6. 

What  is  "bountiful  sowing"? 

2.  How  much  should  a  student  spend  on  community  enter- 
prises? Has  he  a  right  to  refuse  to  give  anything?  Now  and 
then  there  is  a  student  who  acts  as  if  he  were  the  only  person 
on  the  campus.  He  boasts  of  the  victories  of  the  college 
teams;  he  reads  his  neighbor's  college  paper;  he  approves  of 
the  purposes  of  the  college  Christian  Association,  but  he 
somehow  thinks  that  he  belongs  to  a  class  of  "special  privi- 
lege," exempt  from  supporting  any  of  these. 

Evidently  college  students  were  not  the  first  people  to  think 
that  perhaps  there  were  special  reasons  why  they  might  be 

32 


AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT  [III-3] 

exempt  from  religious  expenditures.  When  the  collectors  of 
the  Temple  revenue  came  to  Peter  and  said,  "Doth  your 
Master  pay  the  half-shekel?"  he  answered,  "Yes";  but  one 
is  inclined  to  think  he  replied  "Yes"  doubtfully,  for  when  he 
went  into  the  house,  Jesus  met  him  with  that  delicate  humor 
which  often  characterized  Him,  saying: 

....  What  thinkest  thou,  Simon?  the  kings  of  thje 
earth,  from  whom  do  they  receive  toll  or  tribute? 
from  their  sons,  or  from  strangers?  And  when  he 
said,  From  strangers,  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Therefore 
the  sons  are  free.  But,  lest  we  cause  them  to  stumble, 
go  thou  to  the  sea,  and  cast  a  hook,  and  take  up  the 
fish  that  first  cometh  up;  and  when  thou  hast  opened 
his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  shekel :  that  take,  and 
give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee. — Matt.  17 :  25-27. 

Does  a  student  have  the  same  obligation  to  help  support 
college  community  enterprises  as  he  will  later  for  helping  in 
his  own  town  or  city? 

3.  Is  penuriousness  as  disastrous  to  the  college  purpose 
as  extravagance?  Is  it  as  serious  a  fault  to  be  too  penurious 
in  the  use  of  money  as  to  be  a  spendthrift?  Dealers  realize 
that  there  is  a  value  in  any  commodity  which  represents 
maximum  return;  a  lower  priced  or  a  higher  priced  article 
is  more  expensive.  It  may  be  as  wasteful  to  buy  shoes  cost- 
ing $1.50  as  it  is  to  purchase  those  which  cost  $10.00.  Is  this 
principle  true  in  college  expenditures? 

And  Jesus  looked  round  about,  and  saith  unto  his 
disciples,  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God!  And  the  disciples  were 
amazed  at  his  words.  But  Jesus  answereth  again, 
and  saith  unto  them,  Children,  how  hard  is  it  for 
them  that  trust  in  riches  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God !  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  a  needle's 
eye,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.  And  they  were  astonished  exceedingly,  saying 
unto  him,  Then  who  can  be  saved?  Jesus  looking 
upon  them  saith,  With  men  it  is  impossible,  but  not 

33 


[III-4]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

with  God :  for  all  things  are  possible  with  God.  Peter 
began  to  say  unto  him,  Lo,  we  have  left  all,  and 
have  followed  thee.— Mark  10:23-28. 

Peter's  remark  shows  how  quickly  his  mind  leaped  to  the 
fact  that  any  hoarding  of  treasure  means  a  "trust  in  riches." 

4.  Is    a    student    bound    to    give    full    value    for    money 
received?    Some  students  are  supported  in  college  by  scholar- 
ships, or  money  representing  home  sacrifices,  and  yet  make 
no  adequate  returns  in  college  work  well  done;   sometimes 
they  even  forget  to  say  "Thank  you." 

Some  students  have  the  agency  for  goods  which  they  sell 
either  during  term  time  or  in  the  summer  when  they  know 
quite  frankly  that  the  prices  are  exorbitant,  but  they  justify 
their  conscience  on  the  basis  that  they  have  a  right  to  a  college 
education. 

Some  students  put  up  money  on  the  college  team,  knowing 
that  if  they  win  the  other  man  loses  with  nothing  to  show  for 
it. 

"  'Well/  replies  the  man  who  bets,  'of  course  the  money 
element  is  in  it,  but  that  is  only  to  make  it  real  and  manly, 
you  know;  the  actual  reason  for  betting  is  to  show  one's 
interest  in  his  college,  to  back  up  his  own  college  team/  which 
I  say  is  pitiable  and  squalid.  'This  is  backing  the  university.* 
Backing  it  against  whom?  Against  gamblers.  What  a  noble 
way  this  is  to  honor  it  and  to  show  sympathy  with  it.  Would 
Jesus  have  shown  his  sympathy  for  the  world  better  if  he 
had  made  a  wager  on  it  than  by  living  and  working  and 
dying  for  it?"  (Robert  E.  Speer.) 

How  does  this  getting  of  money  differ  from  stealing? 

Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more:  but  rather 
let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  that 
is  good,  that  he  may  have  whereof  to  give  to  him  that 
hath  need. — Ephesians  4 :  28. 

5.  How    far    are    expenditures    an    index    of    a    person's 
interest?    Have  you  ever  used  your  cash  account  as  a  means 
of  learning  what  you  care  most  about? 

34 


AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT  [HI-5] 

And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  saying,  The 
ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought  forth  plenti- 
fully: and  he  reasoned  within  himself,  saying,  What 
shall  I  do,  because  I  have  not  where  to  bestow  my 
fruits  ?  And  he  said,  This  will  I  do :  I  will  pull  down 
my  barns,  and  build  greater;  and  there  will  I  bestow 
all  my  grain  and  my  goods.  And  I  will  say  to  my 
soul,  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many 
years;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  be  merry.  But 
God  said  unto  him,  Thou  foolish  one,  this  night  is 
thy  soul  required  of  thee;  and  the  things  which  thou 
hast  prepared,  whose  shall  they  be?  So  is  he  that 
layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward 
God.— Luke  12:16-21. 

And  behold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood  up  and  made 
trial  of  him,  saying,  Teacher,  what  shall  I  do  to 
inherit  eternal  life?  And  he  said  unto  him,  What  is 
written  in  the  law?  how  readest  thou?  And  he 
answering  said,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind;  and  thy  neighbor 
as  thyself.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  answered 
right:  this  do,  and  thou  shalt  live.  But  he,  desiring 
to  justify  himself,  said  unto  Jesus,  And  who  is  my 
neighbor?  Jesus  made  answer  and  said,  A  certain 
man  was  going  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho; 
and  he  fell  among  robbers,  who  both  stripped  him 
and  beat  him,  and  departed,  leaving  him  half  dead. 
And  by  chance  a  certain  priest  was  going  down  that 
way :  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other 
side.  And  in  like  manner  a  Levite  also,  when  he 
came  to  the  place,  and  saw  him,  passed  by  on  the 
other  side.  But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed, 
came  where  he  was :  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  was 
moved  with  compassion,  and  came  to  him,  and  bound 
up  his  wounds,  pouring  on  them  oil  and  wine;  and 
he  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an 
inn,  and  took  care  of  him.  And  on  the  morrow  he 
took  out  two  shillings,  and  gave  them  to  the  host,  and 
said,  Take  care  of  him;  and  whatsoever  thou 
spendest  more,  I,  when  I  come  back  again,  will  repay 
85 


[III-6]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

thee.  Which  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  proved 
neighbor  unto  him  that  fell  among  the  robbers  ?  And 
he  said,  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him.  And  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise. — Luke  10: 
25-37. 

What  revelation  of  character  would  you  have  found  in  the 
cash  account  of  the  Levite  or  the  priest?  What  does  my 
expense  account  show? 

6.  What  determines  how  a  person's  "leisure"  money  is 
used?  Given  an  individual's  traits  of  character,  could  you 
estimate  approximately  the  probable  proportion  of  his  income 
expended  in  various  directions? 

Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  the  earth, 
where  moth  and  rust  consume,  and  where  thieves 
break  through  and  steal :  but  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth 
consume,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor 
steal :  for  where  thy  treasure  is,  there  will  thy  heart 
be  also.  The  lamp  of  the  body  is  the  eye:  if  there- 
fore thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full 
of  light.  But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole  body 
shall  be  full  of  darkness.  If  therefore  the  light  that 
is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is  the  darkness! 
No  man  can  serve  two  masters :  for  either  he  will 
hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other ;  or  else  he  will  hold 
to  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve  God 
and  mammon. — Matt.  6 :  19-24. 

Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  temporary  things; 
but  spend  your  money  for  that  which  brings  permanent 
return  in  happiness,  character,  and  the  well-being  of  others. 
Ye  cannot  serve  the  Christ  of  God  and  the  Money-god. 

"We  can  serve  God  with  Mammon  and  we  can  serve 
Mammon  with  God-given  powers;  but  we  cannot  serve  both. 
However  like  an  ellipse  a  man  may  try  to  draw  his  life 
around  two  foci,  he  will  magnetize  the  one  of  them  on  his 
devotion  until  the  other  is  drawn  into  it,  and  the  life  that 

86 


AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT  [HI-7] 

started  as  an  ellipse  will  end  as  a  circle  around  one  centre." 
(Fosdick,  "The  Manhood  of  the  Master.") 

7.  How  can  the  best  use  of  money  be  assured?  "This 
means  more  than  frugality;  more  than  prudent  management. 
This  means  a  balanced  life.  It  means  thoughtful  investment 
in  moral  values."  (Report  of  Commission  on  Thrift  and 
Efficiency.) 

Some  students  spend  for  anything  that  meets  their  fancy, 
and  are  continually  borrowing  or  writing  home  for  money. 
Others  live  in  alternate  states  of  extravagance  and  rigid 
economy.  Still  others  estimate  carefully  the  probable 
demands  for  the  semester,  and  spend  thoughtfully  as  those 
who  live  a  balanced  life. 

Is  money  a  servant  or  a  master?  If  it  is  a  servant  the 
master  is  interested  to  know  where  it  goes  and  what  it  does. 
If  he  is  a  wise  and  just  householder  he  plans  the  work  of  his 
servant  in  at  least  a  general  way.  He  does  not  bid  him  yield 
to  his  least  whim  or  caprice  regardless  of  the  things  to  be 
accomplished. 

Is  there  any  real  danger  that  money  shall  become  the  master 
of  modern  education  and  of  educated  men  and  women? 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

What  is  money?  Put  a  pile  of  it  on  a  table;  it  is  just  so 
much  metal  and  paper.  Hoard  it  up  and  it  accomplishes  no 
more  than  an  equal  weight  of  scrap-iron.  Place  it  in  the 
hands  of  an  individual,  and  it  can  work  good  or  ill.  Linked 
with  a  personality  it  becomes  so  much  power.  "Portable 
manhood,"  someone  has  called  it.  Indeed,  it  represents  just 
so  much  of  human  life.  The  day's  wages  of  a  working  man 
represent  eight  hours  of  himself,  eight  hours  of  his  time 
and  talent. 

For  a  student  money  means  an  opportunity  for  an  education. 
It  gives  him  an  opportunity  for  the  use  of  his  time  and  his 
talent,  and  equally  with  these  other  factors  does  it  determine 
the  success  or  failure  of  his  college  course. 

37 


[III-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Jesus'  principles  regarding  money 

The  principles  of  Jesus  in  regard  to  money  have  been 
suggested  in  the  Daily  Readings.  To  what  extent  are  these 
pertinent  to  the  college  world? 

a.  Jesus  was  not  opposed   to  riches.     He  set   forth  with 
startling  clearness  the  value  of  material  things  in  bringing  in 
His  Kingdom,  but  He  feared  the  enthusiasm  of  mere  posses- 
sion which  might  deceive  men  into  believing  that  they  had  the 
greatest  thing  in  the  world.    He  found  a  man  who  might  have 
been  a  great  power  in  His  cause  so  occupied  v/ith  "worldly 
cares  and  the  deceitfulness  of  wealth  and  the  excessive  pursuit 
of    other   objects"    that   he    was    unfruitful.      (Mark   4:19.) 
In  spite  of  the  exemplary  life  of  the  rich  young  man,  Jesus 
saw  his  possibilities  throttled  by  great  wealth,  and  in  His  dis- 
appointment He  startled  His  disciples  by  crying  out:  "It  is 
easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle  than  for 
a  rich  man  to  enter  the  Kingdom  of  God."     (Mark  10:25.) 
He    was    saddened    and    angered    by    the    selfish    rich    man, 
whose  whole  idea  of  good  lay  in  larger  barns,  well   filled, 
in  banqueting,  and  in  making  merry.     (Luke  12:  16-19.)     He 
charged  His   disciples   "so  to  use  the  wealth  which  is   ever 
tempted  to  dishonesty  as  to  win  a  friend  who,  when  it  fails, 
shall  welcome  you  to  the  tents  that  never  perish." 

Jesus  believed  in  material  possessions  as  one  of  the 
resources  at  a  man's  disposal  in  his  quest  for  the  best. 
"Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God."  More  than  that,  he 
told  men  not  to  be  over-anxious  about  things  to  eat  and  to 
drink,  and  about  clothing  to  wear.  He  assured  them  that 
where  the  supreme  things  in  life  came  first,  these  other 
things,  which  the  Father  knew  they  had  need  of,  would  come 
without  over-worry. 

But  seek  ye  first  his  kingdom,  and  his  righteous- 
ness; and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. — 
Matt.  6:33. 

b.  Jesus  also  recognized  money  as  a  trust.     No  man  has  a 
right  to  hoard  or  squander  it.     Every  man  is  in  honor  bound 

38 


AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT  [HI-s] 

to  invest  it  wisely  and  to  expect  a  due  return.  Jesus  con- 
tinually emphasizes  the  investment.  Where  seed  was  sown 
a  man  should  expect  a  harvest  thirty,  or  sixty,  or  even  a 
hundred-fold.  (Mark  4:8.)  Where  a  man  gave  of  his 
possessions  he  had  the  assurance  that  it  should  be  given  to 
him  again,  "good  measure,  pressed  down  and  running  over." 
Where  a  man  was  intrusted  with  five  pounds  he  was  expected 
to  make  return  of  other  five,  and  his  success  was  rewarded 
with  a  greater  trust.  But  where  he  simply  buried  his  pound, 
he  merited  his  Lord's  disapproval.  (Matt  25:20-28.)  In  no 
place  does  Jesus  encourage  hoarding  or  waste;  He  is  always 
demanding  the  conservation  of  human  resources,  the  invest- 
ment of  money  and  time  and  ability.  It  was  not  the  amount 
which  concerned  Jesus;  it  was  thenvay  he  used  what  he  had. 
He  remarked  to  His  disciples  that  the  wealthy  contributors 
at  the  Treasury  could  well  afford  the  large  sum  which  they 
gave,  but  that  the  real  giver  was  the  woman  who  gave  only 
a  halfpenny.  (Mark  12:41-44.) 
Jesus  said: 

He  that  is  faithful  in  a  very  little  is  faithful  also 
in  much :  and  he  that  is  unrighteous  in  a  very  little 
is  unrighteous  also  in  much.  If  therefore  ye  have  not 
been  faithful  in  the  unrighteous  mammon,  who  will 
commit  to  your  trust  the  true  riches?  And  if  ye 
have  not  been  faithful  in  that  which  is  another's, 
who  will  give  you  that  which  is  your  own? — Luke 
16:10-12. 

Jesus'  teaching  concerning  money  is  a  fundamental  part  of 
His  whole  message  in  regard  to  the  Kingdom.  A  man  is  not 
to  live  for  wealth;  he  is  to  live  for  the  Kingdom.  A  man 
is  not  to  hoard  or  bury  his  talent;  he  is  to  use  it  for  the 
Kingdom.  Money  is  not  a  man's  own  to  use  as  he  pleases; 
it  is  a  trust  to  be  invested. 

Spending  for  self  and  for  others 

How  little  or  how  much  will  Jesus9  teachings  allow  a 
person  to  spend  on  himself? 

39 


[III-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Much  is  heard  today  about  a  "living  wage."  Some  think 
this  means  the  minimum  amount  on  which  a  person  can 
subsist.  Others  are  demanding  sufficient  for  various  pleasures. 
The  principle  underlying  it  is  really  the  demand  that  every 
person  be  given  the  right  to  live  his  best  life,  physically, 
mentally,  and  morally.  Is  it  Christian  to  make  financial 
sacrifices  affecting  health  and  efficiency  to  save  money  to 
give  to  good  causes? 

How  little  or  how  much  does  Jesus  teach  a  person  has  a 
right  to  invest  in  the  welfare  of  others?  Some  persons  say 
one  tenth;  but  suppose  a  person  is  getting  less  than  a  living 
wage,  has  he  a  right  to  give  a  tenth?  Suppose  an  individual 
has  abundant  money,  is  a  tenth  sufficient?  A  certain  Chris- 
tian man  in  America  is  giving  nine  tenths  and  keeping  one 
tenth  for  himself.  How  much  should  a  person  invest  in  com- 
munity and  world  welfare?  In  the  light  of  Jesus'  principles, 
how  much  should  each  person  invest  in  self-realisation,  and 
how  much  in  community  realization? 

A  student's  expenses 

What  is  the  minimum  a  student  has  a  right  to  spend  on 
himself f  What  should  determine  the  amount  a  student 
spends  for  board  and  room?  A  woman  student  once  said 
she  could  not  afford  to  live  in  the  cheapest  room  in  the 
dormitory.  Was  she  right? 

How  much  should  a  student  spend  on  college  extras?  By 
some  these  are  considered  luxuries;  by  others,  necessities 
for  a  well-arranged  college  course.  To  what  extent  is  money 
spent  on  college  extras  an  investment? 

How  much  should  a  student  spend  on  the  social  life  of  the 
college?  In  some  women's  colleges  the  girls  feel  that  they 
cannot  go  to  an  important  social  function  without  an  expen- 
sive new  gown.  A  man  working  his  way  through  college  at 
twenty-five  cents  an  hour  spent  five  days'  wages  on  a  three- 
hours'  evening  reception.  To  what  extent  does  an  extravagant 
social  life  defeat  the  college  purpose?  What  is  a  due 
proportion  ? 

40 


AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT  [III-s] 

Are  betting  and  gambling  legitimate  forms  of  recreation? 
The  interest  in  them  grows  out  of  a  spirit  of  adventure 
which  is  rife  in  the  man,  but  the  real  adventurer  is  willing  to 
pay  the  price.  The  gambler  gets  something  for  nothing,  and 
at  the  expense  of  another.  Has  a  student  a  right  to  get  his 
pleasure  at  another's  disadvantage? 

What  is  the  minimum  a  student  has  a  right  to  spend  for 
others?  Does  a  student  have  an  obligation  to  support  the 
college  community  enterprises?  In  some  colleges  a  budget 
is  made  of  athletics,  college  paper,  etc.,  and  the  amount 
covering  these  is  collected  from  a  student  with  his  tuition. 
Is  it  fair  to  require  a  student  thus  to  support  college 
community  enterprises? 

Does  a  student  have  any  obligation  to  give  money  for 
philanthropic  and  religious  purposes?  He  is  at  college  under 
heavy  expenses,  possibly  at  a  sacrifice  on  the  part  of  parents, 
or  he  may  have  to  borrow  money.  He  is  preparing  for  a 
life  of  usefulness.  Has  he  a  right  to  use  any  of  this  money 
for  the  church  or  for  missions?  It  is  true  a  student  usually 
has  money  for  the  things  he  thinks  most  worth  while — for 
personal  recreation,  for  social  events,  for  college  activities. 
Frequently  the  student  who  cannot  afford  money  for  the  work 
of  the  church  either  at  home  or  abroad  is  not  denying  himself 
on  personal  pleasures.  If  the  student  fails  to  give  during 
college  days  in  proportion  as  he  is  prospered,  can  he  be 
counted  on  to  support  community  enterprises  after  gradua- 
tion? Ought  a  student  to  give  systematically? 

Now  concerning  the  collection  for  the  saints,  as  I 
gave  order  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  so  also  do  ye. 
Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  each  one  of  you  lay 
by  him  in  store,  as  he  may  prosper,  that  no  collections 
be  made  when  I  come. — I  Cor.  16:  1,  2. 

How  can  a  student  be  sure  that  his  money  shall  go  for  the 
best  things?  How  is  thoughtful  spending  possible? 

The  danger  is  that,  like  time,  money  will  be  frittered  away 
on  trivial,  if  not  wrong,  things,  and  the  more  important 

41 


[III-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

matters  of  necessity  slighted.  A  student  should  know  how 
to  handle  money  in  a  business-like  way.  Is  a  budget  of 
expenses  possible?  Can  a  student  keep  a  cash  account?  A 
budget  is  a  careful  plan  of  the  needs  of  the  year  and  of  the 
funds  available  to  meet  those  needs.  An  expense  account  is 
the  careful  record  of  actual  expense  from  week  to  week.  If 
it  is  compared  with  the  budget,  it  enables  the  student  to  spend 
his  money  intelligently,  to  know  whether  he  is  over-spending 
and  whether  under-spending,  to  give  up  the  less  important 
thing  in  order  that  he  may  do  the  more  important.  Every 
business  firm  requires  an  itemized  expense  account  of  its 
traveling  men.  Many  fathers  require  it  of  their  sons  in 
college.  Is  an  expense  account  necessary  to  business-like 
handling  of  money?  In  making  estimates  does  accounting 
for  money  tempt  unduly  to  deception?  Has  a  student  a  right 
to  handle  his  money  in  a  less  business-like  manner  than  he 
would  be  required  to  keep  it  if  he  were  working  for  a 
business  firm? 

A  Christian's  use  of  his  money 

How  does  a  Christian  use  his  money? 

He  does  not  guard  it  penuriously;  he  does  not  waste  it 
lavishly.  He  does  not  even  spend  it.  He  insists  that  his 
money  is  a  trust,  and  he  handles  it  thoughtfully  and  intelli- 
gently so  that  it  shall  be  an  investment  for  which  there  shall 
be  a  return  in  personal  happiness  and  growth,  in  the  welfare 
of  others,  and  in  the  bringing  in  of  the  Kingdom  in  the  college 
and  throughout  the  world. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  is  the  relation  of  college  expenses  to  college  efficiency? 

How  little  can  a  student  afford  to  spend  in  college? 
What  is  the  relation  between  a  student's  living  conditions 
and  classroom  efficiency? 

42 


AN  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT  [III-sJ 

Does  a  college  "grind"  get  his  money's  worth  from  the 
college  ? 

Is  penuriousness  a  temptation  only  of  the  poor,  and  extrava- 
gance of  the  rich?  What  are  the  fundamental  perils  in 
penuriousness  and  extravagance? 

Has  the  student  who  is  working  his  way  through  college  an 
equal  chance  with  the  one  having  an  allowance  ? 

Should  a  man  whose  income  for  college  expenses  is  $600 
be  held  responsible  for  three  times  as  great  a  return  as  the 
one  whose  resources  are  $200? 

How  far  can  a  student's  biography  be  written  from  his  cash 
account? 

How  does  a  student  who  "pads"  his  expense  account  or 
who  gets  extra  money  for  trumped-up  needs  differ  from  the 
cashier  who  "doctors"  his  books,  or  the  business  man  who 
secures  money  through  fake  sales? 

To  what  extent  are  his  expenditures  an  index  of  his 
interests? 

What  were  Jesus'  principles  in  regard  to  the  use  of  money? 

Why  was  Jesus  so  solicitous  about  the  use  of  money? 
When  did  He  consider  it  dangerous? 

What  did  Jesus  mean  by  saying  that  "all  these  things'r 
would  be  added  if  a  person  sought  the  Kingdom?  What  does 
His  injunction  in  regard  to  laying  up  treasures  in  Heaven 
imply? 

What  is  the  difference  between  investing  and  spending 
money?  Does  a  spendthrift  sow  and  reap  bountifully? 

In  the  light  of  Jesus'  principles,  what  should  be  a  student's 
expenditures? 

What  should  determine  the  amount  to  spend  for  board  and 
room?  To  what  extent  is  money  spent  on  college  extras  an 
investment?  How  much  has  a  student  a  right  to  spend  on 
the  social  life  of  the  college? 

Are  betting  and  gambling  legitimate  forms  of  money 
investment?  Why  or  why  not? 

43 


flll-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

How  far  is  a  student  under  obligation  to  support  the  college 
community  enterprises  ? 

Is  it  fair  to  handle  these  through  a  budget  system  and 
collect  the  amount  with  the  tuition?  If  so,  should  the  Student 
Christian  Association  be  included  in  such  a  budget?  Why  or 
why  not? 

How  far  is  a  student  obligated  to  help  enterprises  in  the 
college  town? 

What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  systematic 
giving? 

How  can  a  student  insure   the   thoughtful  spending   of  his 
money  ? 

Is  an  expense  account  necessary? 

Is  a  budget  and  expense  account  system  feasible?  Is  it 
wise?  Why  or  why  not? 

How  does  a  Christian  spend  his  money? 


44 


CHAPTER  IV 

REAL   EFFICIENCY 


DAILY  READINGS 

The  demand  of  the  day  is  for  efficiency. 

The  employer  is  insisting  that  his  employees  be  at  their 
best — that  they  shall  have  such  a  grip  on  themselves  as  to  be 
really  their  own  masters. 

The  college  is  not  willing  to  be  represented  by  a  team  that 
is  hindered  in  any  way  from  playing  its  best  game.  The 
members  of  the  football,  basket  ball,  and  track  teams  submit 
themselves  to  training  rules.  There  is  the  training  table  with 
its  special  diet;  all  forms  of  self-indulgence  and  excess  are 
forbidden;  the  members  of  the  team  must  keep  regular  hours 
and  live  a  normal  life  in  every  way. 

1.  Are  training  rules  necessary?  They  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  actual  playing  of  the  game.  They  are  not  even 
intended  for  the  field.  They  control  a  player's  life  between 
the  games.  Yet  the  college  severely  condems  the  player 
who  "breaks  training,"  and  the  coach  may  not  allow  him  to 
play.  Why  ? 

Employers  are  inquiring  more  and  more  into  the  habits  of 
their  men,  how  they  spend  their  leisure  time.  At  times  they 
will  discharge  men  who  engage  in  certain  habits  when  off 
duty.  Railroads,  and  other  corporations  responsible  for  the 
safety  of  human  life,  are  insisting  on  certain  "training  rules." 
Why? 

Paul  recognized  the  need  of  self-mastery  in  games  and  in 
life: 

And  every  man  that  striveth  in  the  games  exer- 
ciseth    self-control    in    all   things.      Now   they    do   it 

45 


,[IV-2]   STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

to  receive  a  corruptible  crown;  but  we  an  incor- 
ruptible. I  therefore  so  run,  as  not  uncertainly;  so 
fight  I,  as  not  beating  the  air:  but  I  buffet  my  body, 
and  bring  it  into  bondage :  lest  by  any  means,  after 
that  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be 
rejected. — I  Corinthians  9:25-27. 

Are  training  rules  necessary  to  the  highest  efficiency  and 
greatest  self -mastery  f 

2.  What  is  involved  in  obedience  to  life's  training  rules? 
Paul  who  knew  the  lifelong  handicap  of  ill  health  and  the  real 
meaning  of  discipline  wrote  to  his  friends : 

Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  body, 
that  ye  should  obey  the  lusts  thereof :  neither  present 
your  members  unto  sin  as  instruments  of  unrighteous- 
ness; but  present  yourselves  unto  God,  as  alive  from 
the  dead,  and  your  members  as  instruments  of 

righteousness  unto  God Thanks  be  to  God, 

that,  whereas  ye  were  servants  of  sin,  ye  became 
obedient  from  the  heart  to  that  form  of  teaching 

whereunto  ye  were  delivered Now. being  made 

free  from  sin  and  become  servants  to  God,  ye  have 
your  fruit  unto  sanctification,  and  the  end  eternal  life. 
For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  free  gift  of 
God  is  eternal  life  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — 
Romans  6:12,  13,  17,  22,  23. 

I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of 
God,  to  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy, 
acceptable  to  God,  which  is  your  spiritual  service. — 
Romans  12:  1. 

Or  know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  a  temple  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  from 
God?  and  ye  are  not  your  own;  for  ye  were  bought 
with  a  price :  glorify  God  therefore  in  your  body. — 
I  Cor.  6:19,  20. 

Anything  which  undermines  bodily  health  or  strength, 
which  stultifies  the  mind,  which  weakens  the  will  or  deadens 
the  conscience,  has  no  place  in  the  efficient  life.  Have  you 
ever  known  people  who  take  good  care  of  their  automobiles 

46 


REAL  EFFICIENCY  [IV-3) 

but  regard  the  far  more  delicate  mechanism  of  their  bodies  as 
of  no  possible  account  and  drive  recklessly  at  top  speed? 
How  many  of  us  really  regard  our  bodies  as  worth  our  care? 
Are  training  rules  necessary  for  life's  game? 

3.  What    causes    the    breaking    of    training    rules?      The 
answer  is  as  old  as  time.    We  do  not  plead  ignorance  of  the 
rules  of  the  game,  but  the  fascination  of  the  forbidden  fruit. 
Creeping  stealthily  as   a  serpent  into   our  conscience  comes 
the  suggestion,  "You  shall  not  surely  die,  if  you  depart  this 
once  from  the  way  of  rectitude."    And  whether  we  see  that 
the  thing  is  "good  for  food,"  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  our 
bodies,   or   a  "delight  to  the   eye,"   garishly  alluring  to   our 
perverted  sense  of  the  beautiful,  or  "to  be  desired  to  make 
us  wise"  in  the  ways  of  the  world,  we  forget  the  resultant 
scars  in  the  momentary  attractiveness  to  our  own  self-will. 
"For   the   things    in   the   world — the    cravings    of   the   baser 
nature,  the  cravings  of  the  eyes,  the  swagger  of  life — are  not 
of  the  Father  but  of  the  world."     (I  John  2:  16.) 

Is  the  transient  pleasure  worth  the  price? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  most  serious  handicaps  to   the 
efficient  life?     What  practices  undermine  bodily  heaUh,  dull 
the  intellect,  weaken  the  will,  deaden  the  conscience? 

Do  intoxicants  or  narcotics  ever  increase  efficiency?  Some 
people  think  that  their  use  tones  them  up  and  makes 'them 
keen  to  do  their  work ;  that  it  increases  physical  fitness,  makes 
the  mind  more  alert,  strengthens  the  will.  Others  believe 
that,  while  taken  in  excess  they  are  harmful,  they  never  use 
them  too  much;  they  can  stop  whenever  they  will,  and  that 
in  moderation  they  do  bring  pleasure  and  sociability x  without 
harm.  Some  good  authorities  claim  that  np  good  effects  can 
be  found  and  that  the  "physiological  minimum"  is  so  small  that 
even  moderate  users  are  injured.  These  opponents  say  that 
a  man  is  fooled  into  thinking  he  is  more  efficient,  and  the 
supposed  increase  of  physical  and  mental  power  is  really  due 
to  the  deadening  of  the  nerves.  What  do  modern  scientific 
experiments  show  as  to  the  truth  of  these  contentions? 

47 


IIV-S]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

But  many  of  us  nervous,  high-strung  Americans,  with  our 
harsh  voices  and  exaggerated  speech,  do  not  even  find  the 
use  of  intoxicants  a  temptation.  Are  there  other  whips  as 
dangerous?  It  is  very  easy  to  persuade  ourselves  that  we  can 
crowd  our  days  and  nights  with  social  engagements,  do  all 
our  studying  in  wild  orgies  of  cramming  during  the  weeks 
just  before  midyears  and  finals,  and  really  by  such  means 
become  educated  men  and  women  on  the  way. 

Are  dissipation  and  excess  in  the  loss  of  sleep,  eating, 
vverstudy,  social  life,  play,  religious  life,  as  wrong  in  pro- 
portion to  harm  done  as  excess  along  other  lines? 

5.  How  far  is  a  person  responsible  to  live  a  life  of  self- 
.control  for  the  sake  of  his  influence  on  other sf     Sometimes 
we  hear  one  of  our  fellow-students  say:  "I  have  a  right  to 
do  it;  it  doesn't  harm  me.     If  such  things  hurt  other  people, 
they  ought  to  be  strong  enough  to  let  them  alone." 

Must  a  person  desist  from  things  which  he  considers  per- 
sonally harmless  because  they  may  be  a  cause  of  stumbling 
to  someone  else? 

But  whoso  shall  cause  one  of  these  little  ones  that 
believe  on  me  to  stumble,  it  is  profitable  for  him  that 
a  great  millstone  should  be  hanged  about  his  neck, 
and  that  he  should  be  sunk  in  the  depth  of  the  sea. 
Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  occasions  of  stum- 
bling! for  it  must  needs  be  that  the  occasions  come; 
but  woe  to  that  man  through  whom  the  occasion 
cometh !  And  if  thy  hand  or  thy  foot  causeth  thee 
to  stumble,  cut  it  off,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  it  is  good 
for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed  or  halt,  rather  than 
having  two  hands  or  two  feet  to  be  cast  into  the 
eternal  fire.  And  if  thine  eye  causeth  thee  to  stumble, 
pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  it  is  good  for  thee 
to  enter  into  life  with  one  eye,  rather  than  having 
two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  the  hell  of  fire. — Matt.  18:  6-9. 

Are  we  ready  to  accept  this  standard  of  Jesus? 

6.  What  is  the  direct  result  of  the  practice  of  self-mastery? 
Jesus'  ideal  was  of  a  life  complete  in  every  way. 

48 


REAL  EFFICIENCY  [IV-7J 

The  thief  cometh  not,  but  that  he  may  steal,  and 
kill,  and  destroy :  I  came  that  they  may  have  life,  and 
may  have  it  abundantly. — John  10 :  10. 

Self-mastery  constantly  seeks  to  restore  the  balance  of  life 
threatened  by  excess  in  different  directions.  Real  life  means  a 
concentration  of  powers,  each  operating  at  its  best  without 
hindrance  to  the  rest.  Indulgence  simply  destroys  the  balance. 
Physical  indulgence  hurts  mental  power,  indulgence  of  the 
imagination  leads  on  to  collapse  of  moral  powers,  moral 
morbidity  destroys  health.  So  it  goes. 

Ye  therefore  shall  be  perfect,  as  your  heavenly 
Father  is  perfect. — Matt.  5  :  48. 

Paul  was  essentially  a  well-rounded  man.  He  wants  a 
"man  of  God"  to  live  so  that  he  "may  himself  be  complete 
and  may  be  perfectly  equipped  for  every  good  work."  (II 
Tim.  3:17.) 

"Efficiency  is  the  best  use  of  the  powers   of  body,   mind,  , 
and  spirit." 

What  is  our  ideal  of  efficiency? 

7.  How  is  the  life  of  greatest  self-mastery  possible?  Self- 
indulgence  and  self-gratification  are  the  causes  of  the 
intemperate  life.  Too  many  of  us  drift  into  the  habit  of 
seeking  transient  pleasure,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  health  and 
efficiency. 

If  the  life  of  self-mastery  is  simply  following  certain 
rules,  all  of  the  time  wishing  that  we  were  free,  then  it  is  a 
slave's  existence.  But  rules  are  only  the  machinery  that 
helps  us  toward  the  goal.  The  idea  today  is  that  everybody 
should  play  the  game  at  college  or  in  life  at  his  best,  physi- 
cally, mentally,  morally.  If  such  an  ambition  has  mastered 
a  person,  then  anything  which  hinders  is  a  mere  incident  to 
be  dropped  aside,  as  a  runner  lays  aside  every  weight  in  his 
ambition  to  reach  the  goal.  "Therefore,  surrounded  as  we 
are  by  such  a  vast  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  fling  aside  every 
encumbrance  and  the  sin  that  so  readily  entangles  our  feet. 
And  let  us  run  with  patient  endurance  the  race  that  lies 

49 


[IV-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

before  us,  simply  fixing  our  gaze  upon  Jesus,  our  Prince 
Leader  in  the  faith,  who  will  also  award  us  the  prize." 
(Hebrews  12:1,2.) 

Do  we  believe  with  Paul  that  real  efficiency  is  worth  the 
price? 

Not  that  I  have  already  obtained,  or  am  already 
made  perfect:  but  I  press  on,  if  so  be  that  I  may  lay 
hold  on  that  for  which  also  I  was  laid  hold  on  by 
Christ  Jesus.  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  yet  to  have 
laid  hold :  but  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  the  things 
which  are  behind,  and  stretching  forward  to  the 
things  which  are  before,  I  press  on  toward  the  goal 
unto  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus. — Philippians  3  :  12-14. 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

The  conservation  of  national  resources  has  become  a 
common  slogan  in  our  modern  life.  In  the  early  days  of 
abundance  we  were  extravagantly  prodigal  of  our  vast 
resources — minerals,  forests,  and  water  power.  But  the 
nation  is  giving  itself  earnestly  to  saving  this  natural  wealth. 
Some  modern  business  firms  are  making  their  largest  profits 
from  material  formerly  thrown  away.  The  by-products  of 
petroleum  net  enormous  sums  annually.  Formerly  all  the 
cotton  seed  was  destroyed  as  worthless.  Today  products  to 
the  value  of  many  millions  are  made  annually  from  this 
refuse. 

But  even  more  attention  is  being  given  to  the  conservation 
of  human  resources.  The  ancient  world  was  prodigal  of 
human  life.  The  slave  was  of  no  consequence.  The  indi- 
vidual was  of  little  worth,  and  thousands  and  millions  lost 
their  lives  in  wars  to  serve  the  selfish  conqueror,  or  in  the 
ravages  of  unchecked  disease.  The  whole  fight  for  health 
and  efficiency  is  an  evidence  of  the  awakening  of  our  con- 
sciences to  the  sacredness  of  our  tools  of  mind  and  body. 

Every  person  has  a  right  to  live,  and  to  a  reasonable  chance 
to  live  at  his  best.  This  is  the  slogan  of  the  day  when 

50 


REAL  EFFICIENCY  [IV-s] 

efficiency  means  good  health,  steady  nerves,  a  strong  will  and 
a  clear  conscience.  Is  this  right  generally  recognised  among 
undergraduates? 

Jesus,  the  champion  of  the  individual 

Jesus  was  the  first  great  champion  of  the  right  of  every 
individual  to  live  at  his  best  and  the  obligation  of  each 
individual  to  help  others  have  the  same  right.  His  emphasis 
upon  the  abundant  life,  upon  completion  and  perfection,  was 
simply  a  summary  of  the  whole  spirit  of  His  life.  "I  came  that 
they  may  have  life,  and  may  have  it  more  abundantly."  "Ye 
therefore  shall  be  perfect,  as  your  heavenly  Father  is  perfect.'* 

Jesus  never  stopped  with  giving  spiritual  help  alone.  For 
Him  this  real  freedom  of  the  abundant  life  meant  relief 
physically  and  mentally,  as  well  as  spiritually.  To  what 
extent  are  efforts  to  remove  physical  disabilities  and  give 
everyone  a  chance  to  live  at  his  best  the  result  of  Chris- 
tianity? The  Jains  of  India  would  not  kill  any  animal,  how- 
ever serious  its  depredations  on  life  and  property.  The 
Buddhists  erected  places  of  refuge  for  the  sake  of  birds  and 
cats  and  dogs  and  cattle.  But  the  Christians  in  India  were 
the  first  to  look  after  famine-stricken  children,  the  first  to 
build  hospitals  for  the  care  of  the  sick  and  the  lame.  It  is 
significant  that  while  generous  impulses  have  been  felt  by 
men  of  every  religion,  the  Christian  religion  alone  seems  to 
have  consciously  conserved  and  developed  these  impulses  in 
a  practical  way.  Womanhood  has  never  been  given  a  chance 
under  a  non-Christian  system.  Even  in  modern  China  the 
factories  are  run  twelve  hours  a  day,  usually  seven  days  in  the 
week,  and  there  is  no  age  limit  for  child  labor.  Christian 
countries  have  been  criminally  slow  in  accepting  the  principles 
and  examples  of  Jesus  as  to  the  worth  of  the  individual,  but 
the  present  century  is  seeing  the  embodiment  in  the  actual 
life  of  the  day  of  ideals  which  Jesus  brought  to  the  world. 
Increasingly  are  we  following  Him  in  His  demand  for  the 
social  righteousness  which  means  a  fair  chance  for  every 
person  in  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  earth. 

51 


[IV-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

To  what  extent  do  we  help  our  fellow  students  to  live  at 
their  best?  What  changes  would  be  necessary  around  our 
campus  if  the  principles  of  Jesus  were  fully  adopted? 

Handicaps  to  self-mastery 

In  the  light  of  Jesus'  principles  of  the  abundant  life,  of  the 
perfection  which  means  living  at  one's  best,  and  in  the  face  of 
the  demand  of  the  present  time  for  healthy  bodies,  steady 
nerves,  strong  wills,  and  clear  consciences,  how  far  should 
personal  pleasure  and  self-gratification,  and  how  far  should 
this  efficient  life,  determine  our  line  of  conduct? 

From  the  viewpoint  of  Jesus'  standard  of  efficiency,  what  is 
to  be  our  answer  to  the  following  questions? 

To  what  extent  is  the  use  of  drugs  and  intoxicants  justified? 
The  following  are  the  best  scientific  facts  of  today : 

"From  the  standpoint  of  a  drug,  alcohol  belongs  to  the 
anaesthetics,  as  its  action  is  quite  similar  to  that  of  chloro- 
form and  ether.  One  exploded  notion  in  regard  to  alcohol 
is  that  it  is  a  stimulant.  It  is  a  depressing  drug  from  the 
start.  The  apparent  stimulation  following  the  taking  of  a 
certain  dose  of  alcohol  is  really  due  to  the  paralysis  of  the 
inhibitions, — the  power  to  keep  one's  self  in  check,  to  exercise 
self-control,  the  removal  of  the  sense  of  responsibility  and 
the  desire  not  to  make  a  fool  of  one's  self.  Its  first  action 
then  in  the  stage  of  apparent  stimulation  is  really  a  paralysis 
of  the  highest  function  of  the  brain,  namely,  the  power  to  hold 
one's  self  in  check."  (The  University  of  Wisconsin  Health 
Bulletin  No.  3.) 

"Army  marching  tests  have  proved  on  a  large  scale  that 
alcohol  is  a  distinct  hindrance  to  muscular  power.  Without 

it,  men  march  farther  with  less  fatigue When  one  has 

to  do  heavy  muscular  work  under  specially  hard  conditions, 
such  as  intense  heat  or  cold,  alcohol  has  been  found  to 
decrease  instead  of  to  increase  ability  to  withstand  the  com- 
bined strain.  Polar  expeditions,  British  military  campaigns 

52 


REAL  EFFICIENCY  [IV-s] 

in  India  and  the  Nile  regions,  United  States  Civil  War  experi- 
ences, tests  of  men  employed  at  furnaces  or  other  places  of 
extreme  heat  or  cold,  show  clearly  that  alcohol  decreases 
their  endurance  and  increases  their  liability  to  heat  prostra- 
tion, sunstroke  and  freezing. 

"One  bit  of  proof  of  the  loss  entailed  by  daily  drinking  was 
given  by  Professor  Aschaffenberg  in  his  experiments  with  four 
German  typesetters.  On  the  alcohol  days,  the  men  averaged 
about  10  per  cent  less  work  than  in  the  same  time  on  the 
non-alcohol  days. 

"Some  people  drink  wine  or  beer  because  they  think  it 
makes  them  more  sociable.  When  it  does  this,  it  simply 
proves  the  effect  of  alcohol  on  the  mind;  it  has  taken  off 
some  of  the  brakes  of  reserve.  'It  is  doubtful/  says  Dr. 
Harvey  W.  Wiley,  Chief  Chemist  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  'whether  a  single  brilliant  thought 
or  poetic  or  elegant  expression  has  owed  its  origin  to  alcohol 
in  any  form.  It  is  true  that  alcohol  seems  to  take  the  bridle 
off  the  tongue  and  to  give  free  rein  to  conversation,  but  this 
effect  is  by  a  paralyzing  influence  of  the  sense  of  responsi- 
bility, rather  than  by  a  stimulating  influence  on  the  general 
flow  of  ideas/  In  other  words,  alcoholic  'brilliancy'  seems  to 
be  a  matter  of  quantity  rather  than  quality/'  (E.  F.  Transeau 
and  C.  F.  Stoddard :  "Some  Modern  Facts  about  Alcoholic 
Drinks.") 

Do  the  advantages  in  the  use  of  tobacco  outweigh  its 
disadvantages? 

"Smoking  confers  mental  satisfaction.  It  seems  to  give 
one  companionship  when  he  has  none,  something  to  do  when 
one  is  bored,  keeps  one  from  feeling  hungry  when  he  is 
hungry,  and  blunts  the  edge  of  hardship  and  worry. 

"The  dominant  characteristic  of  tobacco  is  the  fact  that  it 
heightens  blood-pressure.  The  irritant  action  by  which  it  does 
this  sometimes  leads  to  still  more  harmful  results.  Its  second 
action  is  narcotic:  it  lessens  the  connection  between  nerve- 
centers  and  the  outside  world.  These  two  actions  account  for 
all  the  good  and  all  the  bad  effects  of  tobacco."  ("The  Injury 

53 


[IV-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

of  Tobacco,"  Chas.  B.  Towns,  Century  Magazine,  March, 
1912.) 

Are  we  quite  alive  to  the  effect  of  the  milder  narcotics  on 
the  nervous  system? 

In  so  far  as,  for  certain  individuals,  simple  articles  like  tea, 
coffee,  and  certain  beverages  sold  at  soda  fountains,  have  the 
effect  of  sedatives,  their  use  in  excess  is  a  dissipation  quite 
on  a  par  with  that  involved  in  excess  in  stronger  drugs.  It  is 
a  matter  of  common  experience  how  often  people  "brace" 
themselves  with  such  beverages,  and  how  easy  excess  is  in 
such  simple  cases. 

How  do  excess  and  dissipation  in  overwork,  loss  of  sleep, 
eating,  recreation,  differ  in  their  effects  from  the  use  of  drugs 
and  intoxicants? 

Alcohol  and  drugs  induce  loss  of  control :  excessive 
nervous  fatigue  does  just  the  same  thing.  When  a  man 
usually  of  fine  poise,  worn  out  from  overstudy  or  loss  of 
sleep,  loses  his  temper  and  commits  some  stupid  blunder  of 
passion,  his  friends  say:  "It  is  not  like  him;  he  is  over-tired." 

Somehow  or  other  in  America  we  seem  to  be  utterly 
careless  about  nervous  dissipation.  "Extreme  nervous  tension 
seems  to  be  so  peculiarly  American,  that  a  German  physician 
coming  to  this  country  to  practise  became  puzzled  by  the 
variety  of  nervous  disorders  he  was  called  upon  to  help,  and 
finally  announced  his  discovery  of  a  new  disease  which  he 
chose  to  call  'Americanitis.' " 

The  "breaking  of  training"  by  a  college  team  often  results 
in  the  most  reckless  excesses  of  members  of  the  team,  because 
the  overstrain  of  the  nervous  system  results  in  a  total  loss  of 
self-control  as  soon  as  the  artificial  checks  are  removed. 

The  college  woman  who  is  living  an  excessive  social  life 
often  becomes  irritable  and  hard  to  live  with.  Her  voice 
becomes  harsh  and  strident.  She  is  rude  and  overbearing  to 
those  about  her.  In  fact,  she  is  simply  impossible !  Yet  she 
excuses  everything  by  saying  it  is  her  nerves. 

Recreations  that  produce  emotional  excesses  wear  out  the 
54 


REAL  EFFICIENCY  [IV-s] 

nerves  and  reduce  the  power  of  self-control  in  the  same  way 
as  do  drug  excesses. 

Again,  nervous  dissipation  creates  the  temptation  to  seek 
relief  in  alcohol  and  narcotics.  Workingmen  in  trades  where 
the  employees  are  habitually  overworked  are  the  most  prone  to 
intemperance.  The  student  whose  nerves  are  always  on  edge 
through  overstrain  is  the  one  who  is  always  seeking  some 
"bracer." 

All  these  dissipations  reduce  self-control  and  set  up  states 
of  mind  that  are  quite  artificial.  One  excess  runs  to  another, 
till  the  process  of  self-deceit  has  gone  so  far  that  we  lose 
entirely  any  exact  knowledge  of  our  physical  or  spiritual 
resources. 

The  place  of  self-mastery  in  an  efficient  life 

Christy  Mathewson,  in  talking  to  a  group  of  boys,  said : 
"Some  of  the  best  curve  pitchers  I  have  known  were  never 
able  to  make  the  big  leagues.  The  reason  was  that  they 
could  never  attain  control.  I  might  lecture  to  you  boys 
about  control  being  the  big  thing  in  life,  but 'just  now  we 
are  talking  about  pitching,  and  in  that  control  is  everything." 

"The  many  demands  of  modern  life  require  physical 
strength  and  endurance,  mental  alertness,  accuracy,  skill, 
sustained  attention,  and  freedom  from  'brain  fag/  One  must 
have  his  temper  well  in  hand,  be  able  to  conquer  irritability, 
impatience,  and  uncharitableness  in  his  dealings  with  others. 
There  must  be  calmness,  good  judgment,  and  self-control." 
(E.  F.  Transeau  and  C.  F.  Stoddard:  "Some  Modern  Facts 
about  Alcoholic  Drinks.") 

The  demand  upon  the  college  for  persons  of  moral  efficiency 
is  being  felt  increasingly.  A  secretary  of  the  Student  Move- 
ment sent  a  letter  to  fifteen  of  the  most  prominent  business 
men  in  this  country  asking  what  the  business  men  of  the 
country  were  demanding  from  college  graduates.  Thirteen 
placed  alongside  of  "Skill"  as  the  prime  requisite  "Moral 

55 


[IV-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Character,"  "Moral  Fiber."  If  efficiency  meant  skill  alone, 
then  the  personate  select  for  any  position  is  the  one  with  the 
most  brilliant  ability.  But  employers  are  asking  of  the  men 
who  come  from  the  colleges,  not  only  "How  well  can  he  do 
it?"  They  also  want  to  know,  "Can  he  be  depended  upon  to 
do  it?"  Evidently  they  consider  efficiency  to  be  more  than 
ability  to  do  any  particular  task.  They  believe  it  involves 
such  a  grip  on  one's  self,  such  self-mastery,  that  a  man  can 
actually  be  depended  upon  to  do  his  best  every  day  in  the 
week. 

The  practice  of  self-mastery  rapidly  establishes  habits  of 
life  that  maintain  unconsciously  the  true  balance,  leaving  the 
will  free  to  press  forward  to  higher  things.  The  devotion  of 
every  energy  to  a  worthy  cause  brings  about  in  the  quickest 
possible  manner  freedom  from  worry  about  mere  rules  of 
conduct.  Jesus  told  us  plainly :  "Do  not  dally  with  temptation. 
Better  be  without  hand  or  foot  than  having  either,  to  waste 
your  whole  life."  Resolution  to  avoid  evil,  determination  to 
follow  the  best  models  in  practice,  thorough-going  devotion 
to  Jesus  Christ  and  His  cause — thqse  are  never-failing 
methods  of  achievement. 

The  assurance  of  Paul  that  everyone  of  us  may  have  this 
freedom  rings  out  triumphantly. 

Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take 
heed  lest  he  fall.  There  hath  no  temptation  taken 
you  but  such  as  man  can  bear:  but  God  is  faithful, 
who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye 
are  able;  but  will  with  the  temptation  make  also  the 
way  of  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  endure  it. — 
I  Cor.  10:12,  13. 

Do  we  really  care  enough  about  being  efficient  in  our  cause 
to  strive  continually  so  to  become? 

One  deed  may  mar  a  life, 

And  one  can  make  it; 
Hold  firm  thy  will  for  strife, 

Lest  a  quick  blow  break  it ! 
Even  now  from  far  on  viewless  wing 

56 


REAL  EFFICIENCY  [IV-sJ 

Hither  speeds  the  nameless  thing 

Shall  put  thy  spirit  to  the  test. 
Haply  or  e'er  yon  sinking  sun 

Shall  drop  behind  the  purple  West 
All  will  be  lost — or  won ! 

— Richard  Watson  Gilder. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  are  the  present  demands  of  efficiency? 

Why  does  an  athletic  team  have  "training  rules"? 

Has  a  business  firm  a  right  to  inquire  into  an  employee's 
life  outside  of  working  hours?  Is  it  fair  to  refuse  to  employ 
a  skilled  man  or  discharge  him  on  his  record  outside  of 
business?  Has  a  firm  any  right  to  have  "training  rules"  for 
its  men? 

Wliy  was  the  ancient  world  so  prodigal  of  human  resources? 
What  has  made  the  change? 

What  is  involved  in  the  present  demand  for  efficiency? 

What  is  the  Christian  ideal  of  efficiency? 

What  was  Jesus'  ideal  for  each  individual?  What  was 
Paul's? 

What  changes  would  be  necessary  in  the  college  if  Jesus' 
ideal  for  the  individual  were  realized?  In  the  present  social 
order? 

What  are  the  handicaps  to  efficiency? 

Does  the  use  of  intoxicants  and  drugs  ever  increase  effi- 
ciency? What  do  modern  scientific  experiments  show  as  to 
the  relation  of  their  use  to  efficiency?  What  is  their  effect 
on  self-mastery? 

What'  are  the  advantages  and  the  disadvantages  in  the  use 
of  tobacco?  Do  its  advantages  outweigh  its  disadvantages 
to  such  an  extent  that  its  use  is  justifiable? 

To  what  extent  is  the  use  of  milder  narcotics,  such  as  tea, 
coffee  and  certain  fountain  beverages,  justified? 

How  do  excess  and  dissipation  in  the  loss  of  sleep,  eating, 
57 


[IV-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

overwork,  social  life,  etc.,  resemble  in  their  effects  the  use 
of  intoxicants?  How  do  they  differ?  What  is  their  effect 
upon  efficiency?  Are  they  as  wrong,  in  proportion  to  harm 
done,  as  using  intoxicants?  Is  there  any  danger  of  forming 
a  habit  difficult  to  break? 

To  what  extent  is  a  person  justified  in  engaging  in  practices 
which  decrease  efficiency?  Is  it  right  to  live  a  life  of  excess 
in  a  good  cause? 

What  are  the  causes  of  dissipation  and  excess? 

To  what  extent  has  the  college  a  right  to  forbid  excessive 
practices  which  hamper  efficiency? 

Has  the  college  a  right  to  limit  participation  in  extra-curricu- 
lum activities?  Is  it  fair  to  require  a  certain  standing  in 
curriculum  work  as  a  requisite  for  such  participation? 

Has  the  college  any  special  responsibility  toward  those  of  its 
students  who  are  not  yet  of  age? 

Has  the  college  a  right  to  regulate  the  number  and  character 
of  social  events? 

What  is  a  person's  responsibility  for  the  influence  of  personal 
practices? 

How  far  is  a  college  man  responsible  for  the  harmful 
practices  of  boys  in  the  town  which  they  copy  from  him  as 
their  ideal?  How  far  is  a  college  girl  responsible  for  the 
extravagances  of  the  younger  girls  in  the  town  who  follow 
her  example? 

To  what  extent  is  a  person  responsible  for  the  excesses  of 
weaker  persons  whom  he  may  influence?  Must  a  person 
desist  from  practices  seemingly  harmless  personally  because 
of  their  influence  on  others? 

How  is  the  greatest  efficiency  possible? 

For  any  individual,  what  is  meant  by  maximum  efficiency? 

Are  "training  rules"  necessary  to  the  greatest  efficiency? 
What  is  involved  in  obedience  to  life's  "training  rules"? 

What  is  the  relation  of  self-mastery  to  efficiency? 

What  is  the  secret  of  self-mastery? 
58 


CHAPTER  V 

A  BUDGET  OF  TIME 


DAILY  READINGS 

A  few  years  ago  there  came  from  the  press  a  book  entitled, 
"How  to  Live  on  Twenty-four  Hours  a  Day."  Can  you  do- 
it ?  Have  you  ever  honestly  tried  ?  Or  are  you  a  person  who 
hasn't  time,  who  says  repeatedly,  "If  there  were  only  more 
hours  in  the  day"?  Yet  how  often  the  busiest  people  are  the 
ones  to  whom  we  turn  when  anything  of  importance  is  to  be 
accomplished.  Why  is  this? 

There  is  something  very  elusive  about  time.  You  may  have 
less  money,  better  health,  a  larger  inheritance  of  genius  than 
your  neighbor;  but  there  are  the  same  twenty-four  hours  in 
your  day  as  in  his.  If  the  number  of  hours  is  the  same  for 
all,  the  difference  must  be  in  the  way  they  are  employed.  To 
realize  the  elusiveness  of  time,  to  capture  it  and  make  it  a 
servant,  is  an  indication  of  strength. 

1.  How  can  a  college  student  find  time?  There  is  an  endless 
array  of  things  to  be  done.  What  a  busy  place  is  a  college. 
No  one  but  a  student  can  really  understand  its  varied  and 
insistent  demands.  To  be  a  part  of  all  the  life  of  a  college, 
to  take  one's  full  share  in  athletic  and  social  events,  is  a 
duty.  What  a-  multitude  of  vital  interests  claim  attention — 
the  college  paper,  the  debates  and  class  meetings,  the  Asso- 
ciation and  all  its  committee  work.  There  is  a  severe  penalty 
to  be  paid  by  the  one  who  does  not  exercise  at  least  an  hour 
every  day — and  make  high  rank  in  all  his  studies.  The  ques- 
tion is  how  to  find  time  for  everything.  As  you  face  the 
manifold  demands  upon  you,  are  you  ready  to  grapple 
squarely  with  the  task?  Or  do  you  despair  of  ever  being  able 

59 


[V-2]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

to  crowd  everything  in?    Are  you  willing  to  play  the  whole 
game,  and  play  it  by  the  rules? 

But  what  think  ye?  A  man  had  two  sons;  and  he  , 
came  to  the  first,  and  said,  Son,  go  work  to-day  in  the 
vineyard.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  will  not :  but 
afterward  he  repented  himself,  and  went.  And  he 
came  to  the  second,  and  said  likewise.  And  he 
answered  and  said,  I  go,  sir :  and  went  not. — Matt. 
21 : 28-30. 

Suppose  there  had  been  a  third  son,  how  would  you  plan  his 
answer  and  his  action  ? 

2.  What  place  should  regular  college  work  receive? 

Who  then  is  the  faithful  and  wise  servant,  whom  his 
lord  hath  set  over  his  household,  to  give  them  their 
food  in  due  season?  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom 
his  lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  so  doing.  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  that  he  will  set  him  over  all  that  he 
hath.  But  if  that  evil  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart, 
My  lord  tarrieth;  and  shall  begin  to  beat  his  fellow- 
servants,  and  shall  eat  and  drink  with  the  drunken; 
the  lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in  a  day  when  he 
expecteth  not,  and  in  an  hour  when  he  knoweth  not, 
and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint  his  portion 
with  the  hypocrites.— Matt.  24:45-51. 

The  parable  might  well  apply  to  the  day's  work  at  college, 
for  out  of  the  time  that  is  at  his  command  an  undergraduate 
chooses  first  of  all  the  time  for  study.  But  does  he?  Or  is 
lie  sure  that  the  time  of  reckoning  delays?  "Is  it  my  turn  to 
recite  tomorrow,  or  can  I  risk  going  unprepared  to  class? 
After  all  is  the  responsibility  mine,  or  that  of  the  professor 
if  I  am  too  busy  to  keep  my  work  right  up?" 

3.  Is  time  for  recreation  necessary  to  the  college  purpose? 
The  ancient  Chinese  scholar  did  nothing  but  drone  over  the 
classics.     All    manual    labor    was    beneath    his    dignity.      He 
would  never  think  of  taking  any  physical  exercise  because 
that  was  simply  another  form  of  work.     He  was  a  "grind" 

60 


A  BUDGET  OF  TIME  [V-41 

and  he  looked  the  part,  cadaverous,  hollow-chested  with  flabby- 
muscles.  In  the  modern  Chinese  government  university,  the 
athletic  field  is  shown  with  pride  as  one  of  the  most  important 
features  of  a  modern  college.  The  right  sort  of  recreation 
is  bringing  to  the  Chinese  scholar  of  today  a  sound  body— 
the  basis  of  sound  manhood. 

The  austere  John  the  Baptizer  was  remembered  as  a  stern 
and  fearless  preacher.  He  had  no  time  for  frivolity  of  any 
sort.  Men  saw  the  unnaturalness  of  his  ascetic  life  and  were 
not  attracted.  But  Jesus  had  a  different  way.  He  also 
came  to  proclaim  the  Kingdom;  and  He  preached  better  for 
His  eager  sharing  in  wholesome  social  pleasures.  He  was 
the  honored  guest  at  the  wedding  feast;  He  dined  often  with 
His  friends  and  acquaintances,  Matthew  the  publican,  Simon 
the  Pharisee,  Zacchaeus  the  tax  collector,  and  most  of  all  in 
the  home  at  Bethany.  He  found  time  for  little  children  as  He 
took  them  into  His  arms  or  drew  one  into  the  inner  circle  of 
His  friends.  He  rejoiced  in  the  out-of-doors.  It  was  in  a 
garden  that  He  often  talked  with  His  friends.  Again  and 
again  He  sought  His  Father's  companionship  on  a  hilltop. 

For  Jesus,  recreation  meant  real  creation  anew  into  greater 
vigor  for  His  work.  Is  this  the  meaning  of  my  playtime? 

4.  Is  special  time  for  the  religious  life  necessary?  "There 
were  many  coming  and  going  and  they  had  no  leisure  so  much 
as  to  eat" — much  less  to  pray.  Is  this  a  picture  of  college? 

A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper;  and  he  bade 
many:  and  he  sent  forth  his  servant  at  supper  time 
to  say  to  them  that  were  bidden,  Come;  for  all  things 
are  now  ready.  And  they  all  with  one  consent  began 
to  make  excuse.  The  first  said  unto  him,  I  have 
bought  a  field,  and  I  must  needs  go  out  and  see  it;  I 
pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And  another  said,  I 
have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove 
them;  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And  another 
said,  I  have  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I  cannot 
come.  And  the  servant  came,  and  told  his  lord  these 
things.— Luke  14:16-21. 

61 


£V-5]       STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

The  guests  had  evidently  accepted  the  invitation  to  supper. 
But  when  it  was  ready,  in  accordance  with  Oriental  custom, 
the  host  sent  his  servant  to  announce  to  those  who  had 
accepted  that  the  supper  was  now  served.  Then  they  all 
began  to  explain  that  they  really  had  intended  to  come,  but 
unforeseen  appointments  of  great  importance  made  their 
participation  in  the  fellowship  of  the  supper  quite  impossible. 

How  very  natural  this  sounds !  Excuses  are  easier  than 
real  reasons.  There  is  perhaps  nothing  in  college  which 
brings  out  so  many  excuses  as  a  discussion  of  the  proportion 
of  time  that  rightly  belongs  to  fellowship  with  God.  "I  meant 
to  keep  the  'Morning  Watch';  but  the  trigonometry  was  not 
quite  finished  last  night,  and  it  must  be  done  this  morning. 
Tomorrow  morning  there  will  be  time."  "It  is  chapel  hour; 
but  there  is  a  quiz  the  period  following.  Another  day  I  will 
worship  God."  "I  meant  to  go  to  the  Association  meeting  last 
night;  but  I  really  had  to  prepare  that  daily  theme.  I  will 
surely  go  to  church  on  Sunday."  But  when  Sunday  comes  we 
say,  "I  am  so  tired  from  the  week  of  study  or  from  Saturday 
night  festivities  that  I  really  owe  it  to  my  academic  work  to 
sleep  until  noon." 

"Then  the  master  of  the  house  said  to  his  servant:  I  say 
unto  you  that  none  of  these  men  who  were  bidden  shall 
taste  of  my  supper  " 

5.  Is  there  time  in  college  for  community  obligations?  A 
college  is  more  than  recitations  and  recreation.  It  is  a  com- 
munity with  its  own  varied  life  and  interests — the  college 
paper,  the  college  organizations,  the  college  teams.  The  rich- 
ness and  variety  of  this  community  life  are  made  possible 
because  of  the  students  who  willingly  sacrifice  time  to  make 
these  a  success.  Are  any  of  us  content  as  members  of  this 
community  to  reap  all  of  its  benefits  and  avoid  all  of  its 
responsibilities  ? 

But  the  college  is  a  community  within  a  community.  The 
town  or  city  in  which  the  college  is  located  makes  its  con- 
tribution to  the  life  of  the  student.  Because  he  is  a  student 

62 


A  BUDGET  OF  TIME  [V-6] 

he  does  not  cease  to  be  a  citizen.  But  the  real  citizen  not 
only  takes  pride  in  his  town,  but  helps  to  make  the  town  life 
possible.  Are  any  of  us  content  to  live  four  years  as 
onlookers  before  taking  any  part  in  the  life  about  us? 

We  have  been  considering  ways  in  which  a  student  may  use 
his  time  for  his  own  development — mental  discipline  of  the 
classroom,  the  renewal  of  vigor  through  the  hours  of  play, 
the  enrichment  of  life  through  fellowship  with  God.  Is  a 
schedule  complete  which  fails  to  make  provision  for  the 
obligation  of  the  student  to  the  college  and  to  the  larger 
community  of  which  the  college  is  a  part? 

Jesus  said,  "On  their  behalf,  I  consecrate  myself."  We 
have  no  record  of  his  life  as  a  citizen  in  Nazareth,  of  the 
responsibility  which  he  may  have  carried  during  the  years 
he  lived  in  Capernaum;  but  we  may  search  through  the  pages 
of  history  and  find  no  man  who  so  completely  lived  as  a  citizen 
of  the  world,  even  to  giving  his  life  for  all  mankind. 

6.  What  is  the  secret  of  finding  time  for  everything  in 
college?  Do  you  remember  the  oft  repeated  sentence  of  your 
school  days :  "Lost,  somewhere  between  sunrise  and  sunset 
two  golden  hours,  each  set  with  sixty  diamond  minutes.  No 
reward  is  offered  for  they  are  gone  forever"?  And  we  do 
not  even  know  where  they  went.  When  we  balance  up  our 
schedule  at  the  end  of  the  day,  we  charge  them  up  with  easy 
conscience  to  profit  and  loss.  Is  it  possible  that  we  have  no 
schedule?  Certainly  our  college  time  is  of  enough  importance 
to  take  the  trouble  to  be  sure  that  it  is  rightly  used. 

For  which  of  you,  desiring  to  build  a  tower,  doth 
not  first  sit  down  and  count  the  cost,  whether  he  have 
wherewith  to  complete  it?  Lest  haply,  when  he  hath 
laid  a  foundation,  and  is  not  able  to  finish,  all  that 
behold  begin  to  mock  him  saying,  This  man  began 
to  build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish. — Luke  14 :  28-30. 

Have  we  ever  envied  the  student  who  seemed  to  have  time 
for  everything  that  he  wanted  to  do?  Have  we  ever  tried  to 
discover  his  secret? 

ea 


£V-7]       STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

7.  What  principle  should  determine  a  student's  schedule? 
In  endeavoring  to  solve  the  problem  of  a  schedule  for  the 
use  of  his  time,  the  student  faces  a  real  dilemma.  He  is  told : 

"You  came  to  college  for  personal  development.  You 
cannot  afford  to  waste  your  time  on  outside  matters." 

"If  you  do  not  meet  the  pressing  needs  of  those  around  you, 
who  will  ?  You  have  no  right  to  spend  all  your  time  in  study ; 
you  must  serve." 

How  do  we  decide  the  amount  of  time  to  be  spent  In  work, 
and  play  and  the  varied  activities  on  and  off  the  campus? 
Is  there  any  central  theme  that  can  be  recognized  In  our  day, 
or  is  it  a  veritable  glee  club  medley? 

For  what  doth  it  profit  a  man,  to  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  forfeit  his  life?  Or  what  should  a  man 
give  in  exchange  for  his  life? — Mark  8:  36,  37. 

But  seek  ye  first  his  kingdom,  and  his  righteous- 
ness; and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. — 
Matt.  6 :  33. 


STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Twenty-four  hours  in  every  man's  day,  no  more,  no  less. 
One  hundred  and  sixty-eight  hours  in  a  week!  What  returns 
<lo  we  realize  on  our  investment  of  capital?  Ten  pounds? 
five?  none  at  all? 

There  was  once  a  college  student  who  made  a  schedule  for 
the  week  every  Saturday  night  at  eight,  and  woe  betide 
the  man  who  called  upon  him  next  Friday  in  the  hour 
scheduled  to  study  Greek.  The  lecturer  whose  hour  was 
changed  from  Monday  to  Thursday  could  not  have  that  young 
man  in  his  audience.  His  schedule  was  made  of  cast  iron 
and  could  be  neither  bent  nor  broken. 

There  was  once  a  girl  in  college  who  heard  a  great  deal  of 
talk  about  the  value  of  a  schedule,  but  she  had  so  many 
things  to  do  that  she  never  found  time  to  make  one.  She 
even  forgot  her  recitations  every  now  and  then.  She  never 

64 


A  BUDGET  OF  TIME  [V-s] 

was  able  to  finish  half  the  things  she  wanted  to  do,  and  yet 
she  was  breathlessly  busy  from  morning  until  night. 

There  was  once  a  man  in  a  responsible  position  involving 
heavy  detail  who  experimented  to  determine  what  use  of  time 
would  enable  him  to  live  the  richest  life — the  life  of  great 
efficiency,  real  enjoyment,  and  opportunity  for  service. 
By  testing  himself  he  discovered  how  much  sleep  he  needed  to 
be  at  his  best,  how  many  hours  a  day  he  could  work  effect- 
ively, what  sort  of  recreation  would  combine  enjoyment  with 
real  helpfulness.  True,  his  playtime  was  spent  differently 
from  what  might  seem  advisable  for  most  people  in  his  type 
of  employment.  He  worked  fewer  hours  than  others  because 
he  learned  that  he  could  accomplish  more  in  the  shorter  days. 
His  time  was  used,  not  according  to  some  schedule  used  by 
someone  else,  but  in  the  way  he  discovered  would  enable  him 
to  live  the  best  life.  It  is  but  a  modern  example  of  the  old 
Greek  precept :  "Know  thyself." 

Checking  up  on  time  expenditure 

Have  we  really  any  idea  what  becomes  of  our  time?  Have 
we  ever,  just  for  the  fun  of  it,  kept  a  record  of  how  our  time 
goes?  Why  not  try  it  for  two  or  three  days?  In  a  note 
book  or  on  a  piece  of  paper  keep  track  of  how  much  time  is 
spent  in  each  of  the  following  ways : 

Recitations. 

Sleep. — 

Meals. 

Study. 

Exercise  and  Social  Life. 

College  Activities  (Specify). 

Religious  Life. 

Unaccounted  for. 

Look  over  the  totals  and  see  which  ones  you  would  like  to 
have  changed. 

Why  would  you  like  to  make  the  changes?    How  would  you 

65 


[V-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

designate  the  way  in  which  the  "unaccounted  -for"  time  was 
probably  used? 

Viewpoint  in  the  use  of  time 

How  does  a  student  happen  to  spend  his  time  as  he  does? 
Does  he  deliberate  on  every  act?  Probably  most  of  the 
decisions  of  the  day  are  automatic,  and  yet  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten  his  best  friends  could  have  told  what  he  would  have 
done  under  the  given  circumstances.  Why  is  this?  It  is 
because  unpremeditated  actions  are  determined  by  interests 
and  motives,  by  the  real  viewpoint  of  life.  Tfj^J>p  tmp  tliaL. 


/the  way  we  use  our  time  is  really  an  index  of  ourselves,  it 
/becomes  of  fundamental  importance  to  determine  the  principle 
which  shall  govern  the  use  of  time.__y 

"For  what  doth  it  profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world 
and  forfeit  his  life?"  There  are  many  worlds  to  gain  in 
college;  it  takes  time  to  win  each  of  them.  One  student 
sets  out  to  seek  high  rank  in  the  classroom  and  finds  time 
for  nothing  else.  Another  determines  to  be  popular  and 
to  enjoy  himself.  A  third  decides  to  use  his  time  in 
winning  as  many  college  honors  as  possible.  What  is  the 
motive?  Is  it  to  satisfy  personal  pride  and  ambition?  Is 
it  to  bring  honor  to  his  crowd?  What  doth  it  profit  a 
man  to  realize  his  highest  ambitions  if  they  are  gained  at 
the  price  of  his  life?  It  is  possible  to  earn  the  highest 
rank  in  college,  to  be  the  most  popular  student  on  the 
campus,  to  win  many  college  honors,  and  to  gain  them  at 
the  sacrifice  of  one's  best  self. 

Not  any  of  these  things  are  wrong  in  themselves.  It  is 
only  when  they  become  a  central  ambition  determining  the 
use  of  time  that  they  defeat  their  own  worthy  purpose. 
Jesus  told  His  followers  to  place  personal  character  above 
everything  else  in  life.  But  He  also  counseled  them  in 
the  use  of  their  time,  as  in  other  things,  to  "seek  first 
his  kingdom  and  his  righteousness,"  not  in  order  that 
"all  these  things"  might  be  added  unto  them,  but  rather 

66 


A  BUDGET  OF  TIME  [V-s] 

because  those  who  seek  first  the  best  will  find  "all  these 
things"  as  a  part  of  their  experience.  Sometimes  students 
have  thought  that  if  they  were  good  enough  "all  these 
things"  would  come  as  a  reward  for  righteousness,  that  if 
they  spent  their  time  in  religious  services  the  professor 
ought  to  excuse  their  failure  in  the  classroom  that  day. 
This  is  a  misunderstanding  of  the  words  of  Jesus.  His 
righteousness  is  not  time  given  to  prayer  and  fasting  alone. 
Jesus  demanded  a  Kingdom  of  Righteousness,  which  is 
right  living  in  all  the  details  of  life.  Such  right  living  is 
not  the  by-product  of  spasmodic  prayer.  It  is  the  faithful, 
consistent  daily  life  of  the  man  controlled  by  the  central 
motive  of  loyalty  to  the  Kingdom.  He  does  not  say,  "What 
will  it  profit  me?"  He  says,  "Will  it  help  my  neighbor  as 
well  as  myself?" 

What  docs  the  record  of  my  time  expenditure  show  to 
be  the  major  emphasis  of  my  life? 

A  budget  of  time 

This  viewpoint  in  the  use  of  time  determines  what  things 
will  be  left  undone,  what  things  will  be  attempted.  But  it 
does  not  insure  our  finding  time  for  all  the  things  we  consider 
essential.  It  is  like  trying  to  make  three  hundred  dollars 
cover  expenses  amounting  to  six  hundred  dollars.  Either 
the  expenses  must  be  cut  down  or  the  amount  of  money  avail- 
able increased.  Since  there  are  only  twenty-four  hours  in  any 
day,  evidently  the  balancing  of  the  time  account  will  necessi- 
tate a  careful  budget  of  time  expenditure.  Such  a  schedule 
of  time  cannot  be  followed  slavishly  any  more  than  the  train 
despatcher  can  guarantee  the  arrival  of  his  trains.  But  he 
would  not  think  of  working  without  such  a  schedule  because 
the  railroad  system  would  be  thrown  into  disastrous  confusion. 
The  despatcher  necessarily  makes  frequent  revisions,  and  he 
may  have  occasion  to  add  a  special  train  or  two;  but  his 
schedule  of  time  makes  it  possible  for  him  to  keep  the  trains 
moving  without  confusion  and  to  bring  them  safely  to  thei*. 

67  . 


[V-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

destination.  A  schedule  of  time  simply  means  the  intelligent 
handling  of  the  day's  appointments.  The  danger  of  the 
chartless  life  is  not  alone  that  of  shipwreck;  it  is  that  the 
boat  has  no  real  chance  of  making  the  harbor. 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

Why  is  a  thoughtful  use  of  time  necessary  f 

How  many  hours  a  day  are  needed  to  do  all  a  person  wants 
to  do?  What  relation  has  the  use  of  time  to  the  college 
success  or  failure? 

To  what  extent  is  time  expenditure  an  index  of  a  person's 
interests  in  life? 

What  is  the  standard  for  decisions  as  to  the  use  of  time? 

What  determines  the  major  emphasis  in  the  use  of  time? 
How  is  it  possible  to  "seek  his  kingdom  and  his  righteous- 
ness" in  the  use  of  time  in  college? 

What  is  the  Christian  standard  of  time  expenditure? 

What  should  enter  into  a  college  time  budget? 

Is  there  anything  that  can  legitimately  interfere  with  college 
work  ?  What  makes  you  think  this  ? 

Does  burning  the  candle  at  both  ends  prove  one  a  faithful 
student  ? 

Does  a  college  dining  hall  remind  you  of  a  quick-lunch 
counter?  Is  it  worth  while  to  observe  the  courtesies  of  a 
home  in  a  college  dining  hall? 

What  is  the  difference  between  leisure  and  loafing?  Is 
loafing  ever  justifiable? 

Are  the  social  events  of  the  college  real  recreation?  Are 
competitive  intercollegiate  games  a  form  of  recreation? 
What  is  recreation? 

Is  a  student  under  any  obligation  to  support  college  acti- 
vities? Why  or  why  not?  Has  a  student  a  right  to  hold 
more  than  one  major  office  a  year? 

-  68 


A  BUDGET  OF  TIME  [V-sJ 

If  the  spirit  of  religion  permeates  our   daily  life,   do  we    t 
need    special    time    for    religious    development?      Does    true 
religion  necessitate  community  service  during  undergraduate 
days? 

How  can  a  student  insure  a  thoughtful  time  expenditure? 

Is  a  time  schedule  indispensable  to  accomplishing  all  that 
is  necessary  in  college.  Is  it  feasible? 

What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  a  time 
schedule? 


CHAPTER  VI 

COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS 


DAILY  READINGS 

College  life  is  a  life  of  the  closest  intimacy.  Acquaintance- 
ship of  some  sort  or  other  is  forced  upon  every  student:  it  is 
within  the  power  of  the  student  to  determine  how  this  ac- 
quaintanceship shall  develop.  Thus  instantly  there  falls  upon  " 
the  student  the  duty  of  understanding  the  value  and  dangers 
of  real  friendship.  Everyone  who  studies  the  life  of  Jesus  is 
impressed  with  His  friendliness  toward  all  men,  yet  the  rec- 
ord of  His  life  shows  only  a  few  close  friends.  What  is  the 
difference  between  friendliness  and  friendship? 

1.  Who  can  be  friends?  Community  of  interest  and  com- 
mon ideals  form  the  basis  of  every  real  friendship.  Trivial 
aims  make  trivial  friendships.  The  mere  companionships  of 
life,  useful  and  profitable  though  they  be  in  their  way,  must 
not  be  mistaken  for  friendship.  Can  two  people  with  funda- 
mental differences  of  outlook  upon  life  really  be  friends? 

Great  crowds  of  people  rallied  around  the  cause  of  Jesus, 
shared  His  enthusiasm,  believed  in  His  purpose.  From  among 
them  all  there  is  record  of  a  few  who  answered  His  more 
intimate  call  to  friendship.  There  was  the  home  in  Bethany 
where  he  used  to  visit. 

There  were  also  men  who  had  sought  Him  out — John  and 
Andrew  and  their  brothers,  and  the  rest  of  the  twelve.  Those 
must  have  been  hours  of  real  comradeship  together  in  the 
garden  at  Olivet  during  the  last  trying  days. 

And  every  day  he  was  teaching  in  the  temple;  and 
every  night  he  went  out,  and  lodged  in  the  mount  that 

70 


COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS  [VI-2] 

is  called  Olivet.  And  all  the  people  came  early  in 
the  morning  to  him  in  the  temple,  to  hear  him. — Luke 
21 : 37,  38. 

When  Jesus  had  spoken  these  words,  he  went  forth 
with  his  disciples  over  the  brook  Kidron,  where  was 
a  garden,  into  which  he  entered,  himself  and  his  dis- 
ciples. Now  Judas  ....  knew  the  place :  for  Jesus 
oft-times  resorted  thither  with  his  disciples. — John 
18:1,2. 

Will  interest  in  a  common  cause  insure  real  friendships? 

2.  How  does  one  recognize  a  friend f    In  John's  letter  to 
the  church  at  Laodicea  he  speaks  of  Jesus  as  saying: 

Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  if  any  man 
hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me. — 
Revelation  3 : 20. 

One  might  search  long  for  any  better  description  of  the 
way  in  which  to  recognize  a  friend.  Every  one  of  us  knocks 
at  the  door  of  people  who  might  be  our  friends;  and  where 
we  are  made  welcome  we  sup  with  them  and  they  with  us. 

Does  all  real  friendship  grow  out  of  the  common  need  of 
tivo  people  for  each  other? 

Three  men  were  talking  of  friendship. 

One  said,  "Getting  is  the  greatest  good." 

The  second  replied,  "Giving." 

But  the  third  said,  "No,  it  is  giving  and  receiving  that  makes 
friendship  worth  while." 

3.  What  are  the  limitations  of  friendship  f     How   many 
friends  can  one  have?     There  need  be  no  limit  to  a  man's 
friendliness,   no   bounds   to   his   loyalty  to   the   crowd.     But 
genuine    friendship   has    very    definite    limitations.      No    one 
shares   the   most  intimate  things   of  life   with   many  people. 
In   the   moments    of    overwhelming   joy,    or   stern    crisis    or 
unsounded  depths  of  grief,  happy  the  man  or  woman  who 
can  know  with  unfaltering  assurance,  "All  is  well,  I  have  a 
friend."    It  is  when  we  are  asked  to  share  the  experience  of 

71 


[VI-4]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

our  friends,  and  do  not  fail  them,  that  we  know  the  real  joy  of 
friendship,  for  then  we  are  friends.  From  among  His  twelve 
chosen  comrades  Jesus  found  three  whom  He  trusted  thus. 
They  alone  beheld  the  radiance  of  His  joy  on  the  Mount  of 
Transfiguration. 

And  after  six  days  Jesus  taketh  with  him  Peter, 
and  James,  and  John,  and  bringeth  them  up  into  a 
high  mountain  apart  by  themselves :  and  he  was 
transfigured  before  them. — Mark  9 :  2. 

When  wealthy  Jairus'  daughter  lay  dying,  and  He  must  meet 
the  conflict  of  death  and  life — 

He  suffered  no  man  to  follow  him,  save  Peter,  and 
James,  and  John  the  brother  of  James. — Mark  5 :  37. 

It  was  these  three  whose  support  He  sought  in  the  hour  of 
His  deepest  agony. 

Then  cometh  Jesus  with  them  unto  a  place  called 
Gethsemane,  and  saith  unto  his  disciples,  Sit  ye  here, 
while  I  go  yonder  and  pray.  And  he  took  with  him 
Peter  and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  and  began  to  be 
sorrowful  and  sore  troubled.  Then  saith  he  unto 
them,  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto 
death :  abide  ye  here,  and  watch  with  me. — Matt. 
26:36-38. 

While  the  men  He  trusted  slept  and  woke  and  slept  again, 
He  faced  the  depths  of  loneliness  and  heartbreak.  But  He 
believed  in  them  still  and  His  faith  was  rewarded. 

4.  What  is  the  feeling  between  true  friends?  Someone 
has  said  that  before  a  person  becomes  your  friend  you  judge 
what  he  is  by  what  he  does;  after  he  is  your  friend,  you  judge 
what  he  does  by  what  he  is.  This  means  that  you  believe  in 
your  friend  so  thoroughly  that  your  friendship  will  stand 
the  wear  and  tear  of  life.  Where  two  people  are  real  friends 
there  is  no  need  for  one  to  give  account  to  the  other  of  all 
his  comings  and  goings,  all  his  actions,  or  explain  his  every 
movement. 

12 


COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS  fVI-5] 

When  the  aged  disciple  wrote  to  a  group  of  friends  of 
what  Jesus  had  meant  to  him,  he  laid  down  the  great  law  of 
friendship :  When  there  is  real  friendship  there  is  no  distrust 
one  of  the  other;  friendship  is  founded  only  on  perfect 
confidence. 

"Love  has  in  it  no  element  of  fear;  but  perfect  love  drives 
away  fear,  because  fear  involves  pain,  and  if  a  man  gives 
way  to  fear,  there  is  something  imperfect  in  his  love." 
(I  John  4:18.) 

Why  does  distrust  destroy  friendship? 

5.  How  do  friendships  grow?     It  was  many  years  after 
the    triumph    of    Golgotha    that    the    record    was    written    of 
Jesus'  conception  of  growing  friendship.    It  was  the  night  He 
was  betrayed  that  He  talked  with  His  friends  of  His  joy  that 
He  would  give  them  for  all  time — told  them  how  being  His 
friends  meant  living  out  His  charge  to  them,  responding  to 
His  ideal  to  love  each  other  as  He  had  loved — yes,  even  to 
the  life  of  joyous  sacrifice.     There  is  no  price  too  great  to 
pay  for  real  friendship,  not  even  life  itself ;  and  because  He 
loved  them  wholly  He  shared  everything  with  them — all  His 
best — for  their  sakes. 

These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  my  joy 
may  be  in  you,  and  that  your  joy  may  be  made  full. 
This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another, 
even  as  I  have  loved  you.  Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends. 
Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  the  things  which  I  com- 
mand you.  No  longer  do  I  call  you  servants ;  for  the 
servant  knoweth  not  what  his  lord  doeth :  but  I  have 
called  you  friends;  for  all  things  that  I  heard  from 
my  Father  I  have  made  known  unto  you. — John 
15:11-15. 

Do  we  always  share  our  best  with  our  friends?  Is  our 
best  worth  sharing? 

6.  What   elements   of   true  friendship    enter  into   being  a 
Christian?     In  Luke  is  told  the  story  of  how  Cleopas  and  a 

73 


[VI-6]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

friend  of  his  were  walking  along  the  road  to  a  little  village 
some  seven  or  eight  miles  from  Jerusalem.  They  were  in 
earnest  conversation  when  they  were  joined  by  an  apparent 
stranger.  But  there  was  something  so  genuinely  friendly 
about  him  that  they  found  themselves  sharing  their  disappoint- 
ment and  perplexities.  And  he  understood  so  perfectly,  that 
just  before  reaching  home  they  begged  him  to  stay  to  supper. 
In  the  simple  act  of  breaking  bread  they  recognized  Him  and 
exclaimed  after  He  was  gone:  To  think  that  we  did  not 
recognize  Him  sooner. 

And  behold  two  of  them  were  going  that  very  day 
to  a  village  named  Emmaus,  which  was  threescore 
furlongs  from  Jerusalem.  And  they  communed  with  • 
each  other  of  all  these  things  which  had  happened. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  communed  and  ques- 
tioned together,  that  Jesus  himself  drew  near,  and 
went  with  them.  But  their  eyes  were  holden  that  they 

should  not  know  him And  they  drew  nigh  unto 

the  village,  whither  they  were  going :  and  he  made  as 
though  he  would  go  further.  And  they  constrained 
him,  saying,  Abide  with  us;  for  it  is  toward  evening, 
and  the  day  is  now  far  spent.  And  he  went  in  to 
abide  with  them.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had 
sat  down  with  them  to  meat,  he  took  the  bread  and 
blessed;  and  breaking  it  he  gave  to  them.  And  their 
eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him;  and  he  van- 
ished out  of  their  sight.  And  they  said  one  to  another, 
Was  not  our  heart  burning  within  us,  while  he  spake 
to  us  in  the  way,  while  he  opened  to  us  the  scrip- 
tures?—Luke  24:  13-16;  28-32. 

The  truest  friendship  expresses  itself  persistently  in  daily 
life.  Do  we  know  what  it  is  to  have  God  so  truly  a  friend  in 
our  lives  that  we  share  all  our  interests  and  enthusiasms  with 
Him  as  naturally  as  we  would  with  our  best  college  friends? 
Do  we  talk  with  Him  as  we  walk  across  the  campus,  take  a 
trolley  down  street,  or  read  the  newspaper,  or  sit  down  to 
supper  with  our  friends? 

74 


COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS  [VI-7] 

7.  What  is  Christian  friendship?  The_£r_eaLja.d-veja.tur^  of 
living  the  Christian  life  in  the  world  requires  every  ounce  of 
strength  possessed  by  every  Christian.  The  Christian  student 
who  has  been  lured  by  the  glamor  of  athletic,  academic,  or 
social  prominence  into  choosing  his  intimates  from  among 
those  who  are  scornful  of  the  things  he  holds  the  highest  in 
his  life,  has  condemned  himself  to  needless  resistance  and 
opened  the  way  for  the  possibility  of  devastating  failure.  The 
strongest  Christians  of  the  past  have  not  scorned  even  those 
more  or  less  mechanical  aids  that  keep  before  the  attention 
the  desire  to  live  for  God.  If  no  part  of  a  student's  daily 
conversation  ever  turns  upon  the  question  of  loyalty  to  the 
Master,  how  can  that  loyalty  be  kept  enthusiastic  and  safe? 
Unless  Christians  are  friends  together,  there  is  no  Christian 
atmosphere,  no  spirit  of  the  Gospel  among  the  students. 

Decreasing  opposition  brings  increasing  indifference  and 
indolence:  the  danger  is  that  among  Christians  the  faith  shall 
simply  be  taken  for  granted,  and  so  ignored.  The  constant 
mutual  stimulus  of  friends  in  the  Common  Cause  is  necessary 
in  the  rough  and  tumble  of  such  a  busy  world  as  this  if  the 
ideals  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  are  to  be  held  high  before  the 
eyes  of  men. 

Read  the  record  of  some  of  the  friendships  of  Paul.  Foot- 
sore and  weary  Paul  made  his  way  to  Corinth. 

And  he  found  a  certain  Jew  named  Aquila,  a  man 
of  Pontus  by  race,  lately  come  from  Italy,  with  his 
wife  Priscilla,  because  Claudius  had  commanded  all 
the  Jews  to  depart  from  Rome:  and  he  came  unto 
them ;  and  because  he  was  of  the  same  trade,  he  abode 
with  them,  and  they  wrought;  for  by  their  trade  they 
were  tentmakers. — Acts  18 :  2,  3. 

When  they  had  accompanied  Paul  to  Ephesus  and  settled 
there — 

....  A  certain  Jew  named  Apollos,  an  Alex- 
andrian by  race,  an  eloquent  man,  came  to  Ephesus; 
and  he  was  mighty  in  the  scriptures.  This  man  had 
been  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord;  and  being 
fervent  in  spirit,  he  spake  and  taught  accurately  the 

75 


[VI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

things  concerning  Jesus,  knowing  only  the  baptism 
of  John:  and  he  began  to  speak  boldly  in  the  syna- 
gogue. But  when  Priscilla  and  Aquila  heard  him, 
they  took  him  unto  them,  and  expounded  unto  him 
the  way  of  God  more  accurately. — Acts  18 :  24-26. 

So  they  strengthened  each  other.  Have  we  found  the 
strength  of  Christian  friendship  ? 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

"A  friend  is  a  fellow  who  knows  all  about  you  but  likes 
you."  A  ten-year-old  school  boy  has  spoken  deeper  wisdom 
than  he  knew.  It  is  just  this  utter  faith  which  our  friends 
have  in  us  which  brings  the  joy  and  the  responsibility  of 
friendship.  On  the  night  when  one  of  His  friends  turned 
from  Him  Jesus  poured  out  His  gratitude  to  the  faithful 
eleven.  "Thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  to  me." 
"For  their  sakes  I  consecrate  myself."  So  it  is  with  every  real 
friendship — "For  their  sakes,"  we  seek  ever  to  do  our  best, 
forgetting  all  the  selfish  years  behind,  and  press  forward  to 
our  friends'  ideal  of  us. 

Everyone  who  has  learned  the  secret  can  have  real  friends, 
but  they  do  not  come  by  self-seeking.  It  is  the  happy  fellow 
who  quite  forgets  himself  and  joins  with  enthusiasm  in  the 
interests  of  his  comrades,  who  wins  the  prize  of  friendship 
quite  without  realizing  that  he  has  done  it. 

Some  people  think  they  may  enter  into  the  treasure-house 
of  friendship  by  a  door  other  than  the  narrow  wicket  of  utter 
self-forgetfulness.  Everyone  of  us  has  seen  some  flashy, 
attractive  person  who  demands  the  center  of  the  stage,  insists 
on  doing  all  the  talking,  boasts  in  great  detail  of  his  strength, 
his  loyalty  to  his  friends,  but  never  has  a  minute  to  hear  or 
think  of  anything  but  himself.  Sometimes  he  even  goes  the 
limit  of  the  travesty  and  demands  the  right  to  many  satel- 
lites, not  one  of  whom  shall  dare,  on  peril  of  his  sore  dis- 
pleasure, have  any  friend  but  himself.  Where  such  a  dis- 
torted view  of  things  occurs,  the  real  signs  of  friendship  have 


COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS  [VI-sj 

also  been  cheapened.  The  self-seeker  demands  that  his . 
friendship  shall  be  bought  with  the  price  of  gifts  arid  expen- 
sive entertainment.  Strange,  is  it  not,  how  some  people  fail 
to  see  that  all  these  demands  are  so  much  trash.  Real  friend- 
ship comes  only  as  we  seek  to  be  worthy  of  a  friend.  Friend- 
ship has  no  place  for  exclusiveness.  "Beware  of  imitations," 
they  always  tend  to  selfish  exclusiveness;  but  the  genuine 
friendships  result  in  generous  sharing  with  many  people.  The 
aged  Launfal,  who  shared  his  best,  though  it  was  but  a  cup 
of  water  and  a  mouldy  crust,  found  the  joy  which  drives 
away  loneliness  and  discouragement.  Jesus  shared  His  best 
with  His  friends. 

The  tests  of  friendship 

Real  friends  will  find  a  thousand  ways  of  expressing  their 
affection.  Yet  the  greatest  gift  will  be  something  which 
cannot  be  purchased  in  any  of  the  world's  markets — that 
loyalty  which  has  learned  how  great  a  thing  it  is  to  sacrifice; 
that  loyalty  which  does  not  seek  to  dominate  his  friends  and 
make  them  over  into  his  own  image,  but  helps  them  grow 
into  their  best;  that  loyalty  which  rejoices  at  the  success  and 
promotion  of  his  friends,  even  when  it  is  at  the  sacrifice  of 
his  own  advancement;  that  loyalty  which  knows  the  meaning 
of  speech  and  of  silence. 

Such  was  the  friendship  of  David  and  Jonathan.  The  young 
son  of  Saul  was  famed  for  his  courage  in  battle.  His  prowess 
had  driven  the  Philistine  army  in  a  panic  from  one  of  their 
strongholds.  Then  the  son  of  Jesse  won  even  greater 
renown  by  his  single-hand  conflict  with  the  champion  of  the 
Philistine  forces.  When  the  people  sang  in  exultation, 

Saul  has  slain  his  thousands, 
But  David  his  tens  of  thousands, 

the  jealous  King  sought  his  life.  But  the  noble  Jonathan,  in. 
whom  there  was  no  taint  of  envy,  saw  in  the  hero  of  the  hour 
all  the  splendid  traits  of  courage  and  generous  fellowship 
which  he  so  greatly  admired,  and  "the  soul  of  Jonathan  was 

77 


[VI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

knit  with  the  soul  of  David,  and  Jonathan  loved  him  as  his 
own  soul.  Before  long,  the  brooding  monarch  determined  to 
be  rid  of  this  dangerous  rival.  Then  it  was  that  Jonathan 
met  the  great  test  of  friendship.  He  discovered  his  father's 
intention  to  put  David  out  of  the  way,  and  at  the  risk  of  his 
own  life  helped  him  escape.  In  his  pathetic  farewell  to 
David,  the  most  beautiful  thing  is  Jonathan's  self-forgetful- 
ness;  he  never  mentions  his  own  risk  in  championing  David. 
Thus  real  friendship  finds  expression  in  many  unheralded 
ways,  and  only  the  imitation  demands  recognition  of  kindness 
done.  David  loved  Jonathan  for  all  that  he  knew  his  friend 
to  be.  When  the  messenger  brought  word  of  the  death  of 
Saul  and  Jonathan,  David  raised  his  lament  for  the  King, 
but  the  agony  of  his  heart  was  for  his  friend. 

Weep,  O  Judah ! 

Grieve,  O  Israel! 

On  thy  heights  are  the  slain ! 

How  the  mighty  have  fallen ! 

Tell  it  not  in  Philistine  Gath, 
Declare  it  not  in  the  streets  of  Askelon; 
Lest  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  rejoice, 
Lest  the  daughters  of  the  uncircumcised  exult. 

Ye  mountains  of  Gilboa,  may  no  dew  descend, 
Nor  rain  upon  you,  O  ye  fields  of  death; 
For  there  was  the  shield  of  the  mighty  thrown  down, 
The  shield  of  Saul,  not  anointed  with  oil. 

From  the  blood  of  the  slain,   from  the  fat  of  the  mighty, 
The  bow  of  Jonathan  turned  not  back, 
The  sword  of  Saul  returned  not  empty. 

Saul  and  Jonathan,  the  beloved  and  the  lovely ! 

In  life  and  in  death  they  were  not  parted; 

They  were  swifter  than  eagles,  they  were  stronger  than  lions. 

Daughters  of  Israel",  weep  over  Saul, 
Who  clothed  you  daintily  in  finest  linen, 
Golden  ornaments  he  placed  on  your  garments, 
How  the  mighty  have  fallen  in  the  midst  of  battle! 

78 


COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS  [VI-s] 

Jonathan,  in  thy  death,  me  thou  hast  wounded! 
O  Jonathan,  my  brother,  for  thee  I'm  in  anguish, 
To  me  thou  wert  surpassingly  dear, 
Thy  love  were  far  more  than  the  love  of  woman ! 

How  the  mighty  have  fallen, 

And  the  weapons  of  war  perished ! 

(Kent,  "The  Historical  Bible.") 

When  David  was  finally  established  on  the  throne,  he 
searched  out  the  lame  son  of  his  friend,  restored  to  him  the 
property  that  had  been  his  grandfather's,  and  made  him  as 
though  he  had  been  one  of  his  own  sons.  How  many  of  *us 
have  ever  been  such  a  friend  to  any  one  ? 


The  fruits  of  friendship 

Do  we  really  know  the  fruits  of  friendship?  The  miracle 
of  friendship  lies  not  in  the  loyalty  and  affection  which  two 
people  give  each  other,  but  in  their  united  gift  to  the  world. 
Friendship  is  founded  on  the  need  of  one  person  for  another. 
In  a  real  friendship  one  supplements  the  other,  so  that  as 
the  result  of  the  friendship  each  does  more  than  he  could  do 
without  his  friend.  The  fruits  of  friendship  do  not  come 
in  a  minute.  One  cannot  "grab  them  up  and  hurry  off  with 
them."  Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning  once  asked  Charles 
Kingsley  the  explanation  of  certain  characteristics  in  his  life, 
and  his  reply  was  simply,  "I  had  a  friend."  No  truer  word 
was  ever  written  than  that  of  an  eminent  physician:  "Your 
best  friend  strikes  thoughts  and  deeds  out  of  you,  that  you 
never  knew  were  in  you,  and  that  truly  were  not  full-formed 
in  you  till  your  friend  woke  them  to  life.  The  need  of  them, 
the  whisper  of  their  coming  was  there;  but  it  took  both  of  you 
fully  to  create  them."  It  is  in  the  joy  of  a  common  purpose 
expressed  in  united  action  that  every  great  friendship  comes 
to  its  own. 

79 


IVI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

The  price  of  friendship 

The  price  of  securing  and  maintaining  friendship  is  always 
great.  Over  the  door  is  written,  "No  niggardly  soul  need 
apply."  In  this  day  of  hospitals  and  trained  nurses  not  many 
of  us  are  called  upon  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  our  friends 
as  one  splendid  college  fellow  did  in  nursing  his  chum 
through  a  tedious  fever,  when  all  his  other  friends  were 
calling  him  a  fool  to  risk  danger  of  contagion,  and  the  pos- 
sible wrecking  of  a  brilliant  career.  But  the. test  of  friend- 
.ship  comes  to  us  all.  "Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  he  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friend."  And  whoso  holds  his 
own  life  dear  cannot  be  a  real  friend.  But  everyone  who 
has  the  faith  to  undertake  thpjyjgaL, adyfintiire-  of-  friendship 
finds  in  the  end  the  meaning  of  life. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

Who  can  be  friends? 

Can  two  people  with  entirely  different  outlook  upon  life 
be  friends? 

To  what  extent  are  persons  of  the  same  temperament  and 
characteristics  able  to  be  true  friends? 

How  do  we  know  when  a  person  is  our  friend? 

How  many  intimate  friends  did  Jesus  have?  With  how 
large  a  circle  can  a  person  be  friends? 

What  is  the  basis  of  friendship  f 

Why  is  distrust  destructive  of  friendship?  Compare  I  John 
4:18. 

To  what  extent  can  a  self-seeker  be  a  friend? 

What  were  the  elements  in  the  friendship  of  Jonathan  and 
David  which  made  it  great?  What  elements  entered  into 
Jesus'  more  intimate  friendships?  Which  of  these  are 
necessary  to  all  friendships?  Why? 

80 


COLLEGE  FRIENDSHIPS  [VI-s] 

What  are  the  fruits  of  friendship? 

To  what  extent  can  a  person  who  has  no  friends  live  his 
best  life? 

Why  can  two  people  do  more  as  friends  than  they  could 
without  the  friendship? 

What  is  the  price  of  friendship? 

What    elements    of    true    friendship    are    found    in    being    a 
Christian? 


81 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH 


DAILY  READINGS 

One  of  the  first  things  the  early  settlers  in  North  America 
did  was  to  erect  their  meeting-house  or  church  in  their  little 
settlements.  In  the  interesting  accounts  of  "staking  out"  of 
new  towns  in  undeveloped  sections  of  the  continent  today 
the  newspapers  do  not  always  record  the  fact,  known  to 
people  on  the  ground,  that  the  promoters  regularly  set  aside 
a  plot,  usually  a  most  desirable  corner  lot,  for  the  town 
church.  The  advertisements  of  real  estate  in  suburban  sec- 
tions always  enumerate  among  the  advantages  of  the  select 
community  the  presence  of  one  or  more  churches.  Church 
attendance  in  many  of  our  colleges  is  required. 

1.  Why  is  the  Church  thus  taken  for  granted?  Is  this 
emphasis  simply  a  matter  of  tradition,  or  does  a  church 
today  fill  a  definite  need  in  the  community? 

Certainly  an  organization  which  has  grown  from  a  little 
handful  of  followers  nineteen  centuries  ago  to  the  vast 
membership  in  the  Protestant  churches  alone  must  have 
something  within  it  that  accounts  for  this  striking  and  con- 
tinuous increase.  After  the  ascension  of  Jesus  there  were 
just  eleven  disciples  and  a  few  other  followers  of  the  Master 
who  met  regularly  in  a  fixed  place. 

Then  returned  they  unto  Jerusalem  from  the  mount 
called  Olivet,  which  is  nigh  unto  Jerusalem,  a  sab- 
bath day's  journey  off.  And  when  they  were  come  in, 
they  went  up  into  the  upper  chamber,  where  they  were 
abiding;  both  Peter  and  John  and  James  and  Andrew, 

82 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VII-2] 

Philip  and  Thomas,  Bartholomew  and  Matthew, 
James  the  son  of  Alphaeus,  and  Simon  the  Zealot,  and 
Judas  the  son  of  James.  These  all  with  one  accord 
continued  stedfastly  in  prayer,  with  the  women,  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  with  his  brethren. — 
Acts  1 :  12-14. 

They  then  that  received  his  word  were  baptized :  and 
there  were  added  unto  them  in  that  day  about  three 
thousand  souls.  And  they  continued  stedfastly  in  the 
apostles'  teaching  and  fellowship,  in  the  breaking  of 
bread  and  the  prayers. — Acts  2:  41,  42. 

In  those  earliest  days  the  disciples  felt  the  need  of 
gathering  together  for  public  confession,  for  prayer,  and  foi 
fellowship.  Later,  in  the  days  of  persecution,  others  were 
baptized  and  joined  themselves  to  the  company  of  Jesus' 
followers,  thus  publicly  confessing  Him  when  every  advantage 
of  personal  safety  and  economic  interest  called  for  secret 
discipleship. 

Paul,  and  Silvanus,  and  Timothy,  unto  the  church 
of  the  Thessalonians  in  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  We  are  bound  to  give  thanks  to  God 
alway  for  you,  brethren,  even  as  it  is  meet,  for  that 
your  faith  groweth  exceedingly,  and  the  love  of  each 
one  of  you  all  toward  one  another  aboundeth ;  so  that 
we  ourselves  glory  in  you  in  the  churches  of  God  for 
your  patience  and  faith  in  all  your  persecutions  and  in 
the  afflictions  which  ye  endure. — II  Thess.  1 :  1,  3,  4. 

These  very  persecutions  made  more  real  the  need  for 
prayer  and  mutual  encouragement  of  those  who  had  with- 
drawn themselves  from  the  world.  Similar  conditions  obtain 
in  non-Christian  lands  today  and  the  history  of  the  Early 
Church  is  being  repeated  there. 

In  the  early  days  in  America,  there  was  the  same  need  for 
union  in  the  face  of  peril.  Does  this  mean  there  is  no  longer 
any  need  for  the  Church  in  America? 

2.  What  is  the  true  value  and  function  of  the  Church  in 
America  today?  Is  the  need  as  real  as  it  was  for  the 

83 


[VIM]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Apostolic   Church?     As  it  is   for  the  native  Church   on   the 
mission  field  today? 

It  is  instructive  to  recall  the  commission  given  by  Jesus 
to  His  immediate  disciples.  Having  called  them  to  be  His 
friends,  He  trained  them  by  fellowship  with  Himself,  and 
shared  with  them  the  ideals  of  His  Kingdom;  then  He  sent 
them  out  on  His  errand. 

And  he  calleth  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  began  to 
send  them  forth  by  two  and  two;  and  he  gave  them 

authority  over  the  unclean  spirits And  they         ' 

went  out,  and  preached  that  men  should  repent.  And 
they  cast  out  many  demons,  and  annointed  with  oil 

many  that  were  sick,  and  healed  them And 

the  apostles  gather  themselves  together  unto  Jesus; 
and  they  told  him  all  things,  whatsoever  they  had 
done,  and  whatsoever  they  had  taught. — Mark  6 : 7, 
12,  13,  30. 

In  missions  the  first  impulse  was  simply  to  announce  the 
Good  News.  But  now  the  Church  has  accepted  a  wider 
commission  growing  directly  from  the  implications  of  its 
message.  The  modern  missionary  idea  recognizes  the  obliga- 
tion to  meet  needs  physical,  intellectual,  economic,  and  social, 
and  especially  to  assist  in  the  building  up  of  strong  native 
leadership  and  churches  everywhere. 

To  zvhat  extent  are  these  various  needs  present  in  North 
America?  Is  the  Church  necessary  for  meeting  these  needs? 
What  is  your  special  need  of  the  Church? 

3.  What  is  the  purpose  of  the  various  church  meetings? 
The  characteristic  features  of  the  meetings  of  the  Early 
Church  were  clearly  reflected  in  the  New  Testament. 

And  they  continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles' 
teaching  and  fellowship,  in  the  breaking  of  bread  and 
the  prayers. — Acts  2 :  42. 

Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly;  in  all 
wisdom  teaching  and  admonishing  one  another  with 
psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with 
grace  in  your  hearts  unto  God. — Colossians  3 :  16. 

84 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VIM] 

....  speaking  one  to  another  in  psalms  and  hymns 
and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making  melody  with 
your  heart  to  the  Lord. — Ephesians  5  :  19. 

For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  the  cup, 
ye  proclaim  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come. — I  Cor. 
11:26. 

Worship,  the  breaking  of  bread,  fellowship,  teaching — these 
were  all  found  in  the  services  of  the  Early  Church  and  the 
modern  church  has  made  provision  for  all  of  these  in  its 
public  worship,  its  celebration  of  Communion,  its  Sunday 
school,  and  its  various  prayer  and  social  meetings. 

Which  of  these  are  needed  in  the  Church  today?  How  is 
one  to  determine  which  are  essential? 

4.  What  is  the  test  of  the  value  of  a  church?  If  the 
churches  in  your  local  community  were  closed,  in  what  ways 
would  the  town  be  the  loser  ? 

In  the  Middle  Ages  the  Church  laid  great  stress  upon  the 
necessity  of  a  man's  saving  his  own  soul  by  withdrawing 
himself  from  the  wicked  world  around  him.  The  Church  thus 
became  a  refuge  from  the  pitfalls  of  a  sinful  world.  A 
writer  has  recently  declared  that  a  Christian  is  "a  person 
whose  great  aim  is  a  selfish  desire  to  save  his  own  soul  and 
get  to  Heaven  when  he  dies,  and  to  this  end  he  goes  to  church 
regularly."  Does  this  seem  like  a  fair  statement? 

What  is  the  test  of  the  value  of  a  church?  Is  Jesus' 
description  of  His  own  work  a  fair  picture  of  a  successful 
church  ? 

The  blind  receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk, 
the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  and  the 
dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  good  tidings 
preached  to  them. — Matt.  11:5. 

5.  When  is  a  person  relieved  of  his  responsibility  to  a  local 
church?  Suppose  the  church  is  backward,  the  preacher 
uninteresting,  does  this  remove  responsibility  for  attendance 
at  the  church  and  cooperation  in  its  work? 

85 


[VII-6]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Jesus  broke  with  many  of  the  religious  observances  of  His 
day.  He  must  have  found  the  Rabbis  very  uninteresting; 
yet  when 

....  he  came  to  Nazareth,  where  he  had  been 
brought  up,  ....  he  entered,  as  his  custom  was, 
into  the  synagogue  on  the  sabbath  day,  and  stood  up 
to  read. — Luke  4 :  16. 

Some  people  give  the  impression  that  a  church  exists  for 
their  entertainment  and  instruction.  They  '  go  where  the 
preaching  is  good  and  the  music  attractive,  and  frequently 
remain  at  home  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  being  bored.  Has 
one  a  right  to  criticise  a  church  in  which  he  takes  no  share 
of  responsibility?  What  can  one  individual  do  toward  making 
the  life  of  an  ineffective  church  worth  while?  To  what 
extent  is  each  member  of  a  church  responsible  for  its  ineffec- 
tiveness or  effectiveness? 

6.  Should  a  student  ally  himself  with  a  church  in  the 
college  community?  Should  his  relationship  to  a  church  in 
a  college  community  be  as  loyal  and  his  attendance  upon  its 
services  be  as  regular  as  if  he  were  in  his  own  home 
community? 

Students  have  sometimes  thought  membership  in  the  Chris- 
tian Association  and  attendance  at  its  meetings  made  unneces- 
sary any  connection  with  the  local  church.  This  seems  based 
on  the  assumption  that  relationship  with  one  or  more  of  the 
organizations  of  a  church,  such  as  the  Young  People's 
Society,  or  the  Men's  Brotherhood,  is  all  that  is  implied  in 
loyalty  to  the  local  church.  No  such  thought  of  substituting 
for  the  Church  was  in  the  minds  of  those  who  founded  the 
Student  Christian  Associations,  and  the  present  leaders  are 
convinced  that  it  would  be  better  that  there  should  be  no 
Association  than  that  it  should  become  a  substitute  for  the 
Church.  A  Student  Christian  Association  is  simply  an  organi- 
zation uniting  students  of  various  denominations  in  a  college 
or  university  in  a  common  purpose  or  program  to  lead 
students  to  take  their  part  in  bringing  in  the  Kingdom. 

86 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VII-7] 

One  primary  object  of  its  existence  is  to  lead  students  to 
relate  themselves  to  a  local  church,  and  to  work  whenever  it 
seems  wise  directly  through  the  local  church.  Do  you  agree 
with  this  ideal  of  church  relationship  held  by  the  Student 
Christian  Associations? 

7.  Does  a  student  have  an  obligation  of  service  to  a 
local  church?  No  student  who  has  come  to  know  the  reality 
of  the  Christian  experience  can  question  his  duty  and  oppor- 
tunity to  take  part  in  the  furthering  of  the  Kingdom.  It 
follows  quite  naturally  from  his  confession  of  Christ  that 
he  would  desire  to  share  this  experience  with  others,  and  that 
he  would  wish  Jesus'  principles  actually  to  be  accepted  in  the 
life  of  his  community,  of  the  nation,  and  of  the  world. 
Every  student  has  to  face  quite  frankly  during  his  college 
course  whether  the  service  he  renders  shall  be  in  connection 
with  a  local  church  or  on  the  college  campus  or  in  a  social 
settlement  or  some  other  community  organization.  While 
church  worship  is  meant  for  all,  there  is  a  limit  to  the  number 
of  students  who  can  be  used  wisely,  since  they  are  transients 
in  the  community,  in  connection  with  a  local  church.  It  is 
a  question  of  each  student  finding  out  where  he  can  best  serve 
the  Kingdom.  Every  Christian  student  understands  in  some 
measure  the  experience  of  Jesus. 

And  Jesus  went  about  all  the  cities  and  the  villages, 
teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner  of  disease  and 
all  manner  of  sickness.  But  when  he  saw  the  multi- 
tudes, he  was  moved  with  compassion  for  them, 
because  they  were  distressed  and  scattered,  as  sheep 
not  having  a  shepherd.  Then  saith  he  unto  his  dis- 
ciples, The  harvest  indeed  is  plenteous,  but  the  labor- 
ers are  few.  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest,  that  he  send  forth  laborers  into  his  harvest. — 
Matt.  9 : 35-38. 

Can  anyone  really  pray  this  prayer  who  is  not  a  laborer? 
Where  will  you  decide  to  work? 

87 


[VII-s]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

An  interesting  story  might  be  written  with  a  plot  centering 
around  the  sudden  disbanding  of  every  church  in  the  com- 
munity and  the  sale  of  the  church  buildings  for  commercial 
purposes.  What  difference  would  it  make? 

It  is  true  there  would  be  no  ministers  any  longer.  But  there 
would  be  plenty  of  individual  Christians,  left  to  tell  of 
Christianity,  and  from  the  earliest  days  Christianity  has  been 
most  effectually  propagated  by  personal  word. 

How  long  do  you  think  individuals  would  continue  to 
propagate  Christianity  by  personal  word  if  there  were  no 
Christian  churches  or  leaders?  It  was  the  organized  church 
at  Antioch  which  sent  out  the  first  missionary.  It  has  been 
organized  Christianity  which  has  brought  the  inspiration  for 
personal  work. 

It  is  true  that  there  would  be  no  public  church  worship. 
But  even  now  there  are  people  who  prefer  to  be  "Christians- 
at-large"  rather  than  bind  themselves  to  attendance  at  any 
church.  More  than  this,  the  essence  of  Christianity  is 
expressed  in  the  daily  life,  during  all  the  days  of  the  week  and 
not  alone  on  Sunday. 

How  long  do  you  think  Christian  principles  would  be  effect- 
ive in  the  affairs  of  the  town  if  there  were  no  church? 

It  is  true  there  would  be  no  way  of  rendering  service  to  the 
community  or  to  the  world  through  the  church  organization, 
but  there  would  still  be  social  settlements,  Christian  Associa- 
tions, and  similar  organizations. 

How  long  would  it  be  before  the  Christian  Associations  or 
the  Christian  Betterment  Organizations  would  disappear  if 
there  were  no  Church?  These  organizations  have  grown  out 
of  the  Church,  are  the  expression  of  its  life,  and  are  sup- 
ported in  money  and  service  largely  by  church  people.  How 
long  would  there  be  maintained  the  necessary  one  day  in 
seven  for  rest? 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VII-s] 

An  effective  church 

What  are  the  essential  characteristics  of  an  effective  church? 

Jesus  left  behind  Him  no  rules  for  the  organization  or  the 
equipment  of  His  church,  but  His  life  embodied  the  essential 
principles  necessary  in  the  organized  effort  to  bring  in  the 
Kingdom.  He  went  up  and  down  Galilee  in  village,  town,  and 
city  preaching  the  Good  News.  He  stopped  by  the  wayside 
well  and  took  occasion  to  talk  to  the  woman  there.  When 
He  rested  in  the  garden  He  conversed  with  His  friends  in 
regard  to  the  meaning  of  Christianity.  When  He  went  up 
to  the  Temple  to  worship  He  talked  to  the  crowd  whom  He 
met  there.  When  He  went,  as  His  custom  was,  to  the 
synagogue  on  the  Sabbath,  He  availed  Himself  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  talk  to  the  people.  When  the  crowds  pressed  greatly 
on  Him  He  launched  a  little  boat  out  into  the  sea  and  taught 
them.  In  His  retirement  the  crowds  sought  Him  out,  and 
instead  of  sending  them  away,  He  preached  through  the 
whole  day.  The  one  passion  of  His  life  was  to  make  clear  the 
message  of  His  Father — the  Good  News  of  the  Kingdom. 
With  all  deference  it  was  said  of  Him,  "Thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God." 

But  He  did  not  stop  with  teaching  and  preaching.  He  used 
the  power  God  had  given  Him  to  heal  the  sick  and  relieve 
distress. 

Jesus  went  further  and  took  a  stand  against  that  terrible 
evil  of  His  day — the  caste  system — sternly  rebuking  the 
Pharisees  for  their  exclusiveness  and  mingling  freely  with 
the  people  they  had  ostracized  from  society.  For  Him  every 
man  was  made  in  the  image  of  His  Father  and  He  must  needs 
help  all.  And  the  people  said  of  Him  that  He  "went  about 
doing  good." 

On  His  disciples,  too,  Jesus  laid  the  twofold  charge  that 
they  go  among  the  needy,  proclaiming  the  Good  News  and 
relieving  distress.  When  the  seventy  were  sent  out,  the  same 
twofold  commission  was  given. 

89 


[VII-s]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Now  after  these  things  the  Lord  appointed  seventy 
others,  and  sent  them  two  and  two  before  his  face  into 
every  city  and  place,  whither  he  himself  was  about  to 

come And  into  whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and 

they  receive  you,  eat  such  things  as  are  set  before 
you :  and  heal  the  sick  that  are  therein,  and  say  unto 
them,  The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you. — 
Luke  10:1,8,9. 

The  disciples  appreciated  the  opportunity  for  social  service 
as  well  as  for  preaching  the  Good  News;  for  when  they 
returned,  they  said,  "Even  the  demons  are  subject  unto  us  in 
Thy  name." 

When  John  the  Baptist  sent  to  ask  Jesus  if  He  was  indeed 
the  Messiah,  five  out  of  the  six  items  which  Jesus  mentions 
have  to  do  with  the  social  service  aspects  of  the  Gospel — the 
blind  receiving  their  sight,  the  lame  walking,  the  lepers 
cleansed,  the  deaf  hearing,  the  dead  raised.  (Matt.  11:  5.) 

When  His  disciples  asked  Him  in  regard  to  the  coming 
Kingdom  He  must  have  surprised  them  by  making  the  test 
service  to  others. 

But  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory, 
and  all  the  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  on  the 
throne  of  his  glory :  and  before  him  shall  be  gathered 
all  the  nations :  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from 
another,  as  the  shepherd  separateth  the  sheep  from  the 
goats;  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand, 
but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say 
unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world :  for  I  was  hungry  and 
ye  gave  me  to  eat:  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in;  naked, 
and  ye  clothed  me;  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I 
was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me.  Then  shall  the 
righteous  answer  him,  saying,  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee 
hungry,  and  fed  thee?  or  athirst,  and  gave  thee 
drink?  And  when  saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took 
thee  in?  or  naked,  and  clothed  thee?  And  when  saw 
we  thee  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee?  And 
QO 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH.     [VII-sJ 

the  King  shall  answer  and  say  unto  them,  Verily  I 
say  unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these 
my  brethren,  even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me. — 
Matt.  25 : 31-40. 

"Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  His  right  hand, 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world :  for  I  was  a 
factory-hand,  hungry  for  friendship  and  ye  gave  me  to  eat; 
I  was  a  mountaineer  boy,  thirsty  for  knowledge  and  ye  gave 
me  to  drink;  for  I  was  an  immigrant,  a  stranger  in  a  strange 
land,  and  ye  gave  me  a  welcome;  an  Indian  child  widow, 
naked,  and  ye  clothed  me;  I  was  in  the  free  ward  of  a  city 
hospital,  sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was  a  child  imprisoned 
in  a  coal  breaker,  and  ye  came  unto  me.  Then  shall  the 
righteous  answer  him,  saying,  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee 
hungry  and  fed  thee?  or  athirst,  and  gave  thee  drink?  And 
when  saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in?  or  naked  and 
clothed  thee?  And  when  saw  we  thee  sick  and  in  prison,  and 
came  unto  thee?  And  the  King  shall  answer  and  say  unto 
them,  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one 
of  these  my  brethren,  even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me." 

The  last  century  laid  its  supreme  emphasis  upon  the 
preaching  function  of  the  Church.  The  local  society  of  fifty 
years  ago  consisted  chiefly  of  assemblies  for  preaching, 
prayer,  and  testimony.  At  the  present  time,  the  pendulum  has 
swung  almost  to  the  other  extreme,  and  many  people  feel  that 
Christianity  can  be  fully  expressed  in  social  service.  Did 
not  Jesus  in  His  personal  life  and  in  His  education  of  His 
disciples  exemplify  the  necessary  balance  of  the  two?  He  so 
brought  to  them  the  message  of  His  Kingdom  and  so  trained 
them  that  they  were  inspired  to  go  out,  both  to  tell  the  Good 
News  and  to  minister  to  the  needs  of  others. 

Function  of  a  church 

IV hat  is  the  function  of  a  church? 

What  answer  is  suggested  by  the  example  of  Jesus?  The 
church  building  is  not  chiefly  an  entertainment  hall  where 

91 


IVII-s]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

people  come  to  hear  popular  sermons  and  fine  music,  though 
there  is  no  reason  why  public  meetings  should  not  be  stimu- 
lating. It  is  not  a  hospital  where  physical  ills  receive  treat- 
ment, though  the  church  has  proved  a  real  place  of 
renewing.  It  is  not  chiefly  a  rescue  station  where  a  few 
who  have  fallen  into  evil  ways  are  saved  from  destruction. 

How  would  you  define  a  church? 

In  your  definition  consider  duly  the  following  factors  in 
the  Christian  life  and  show  how  a  church  is  related  to  them : 
The  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as  personal  Lord  and  Saviour; 
personal  growth  in  Christian  character;  loyalty  to  Jesus  in 
the  individual  life  and  in  united  community  service;  relation 
to  bringing  in  the  Kingdom  at  home  and  abroad ;  the  enlistment 
of  men  in  the  Christian  life;  the  development  of  Christians 
and  their  training  and  organization  for  service.  How  may  a 
church  escape  being  an  end  in  itself?  By  what  tests  may  the 
efficiency  of  a  church  be  judged? 

Essentials  in  a  local  church 

If  there  were  an  opportunity  to  reorganize  your  local 
church,  in  your  judgment  what  features  should  be  retained  and 
what  changes  should  be  made? 

Should  there  be  public  worship?  It  may  not  be  possible 
to  get  an  eloquent  preacher;  it  may  be  there  is  not  the  talent 
for  good  music;  would  the  public  worship  still  be  worth  while? 

In  non-Christian  nations  people  go  to  the  temple  in  order 
to  worship  their  gods  when  disaster  or  trouble  has  come  to 
them;  the  temple  service  is  for  them  propitiation  of  an 
angry  deity.  But  for  Christians  through  all  the  centuries  the 
true  meeting  has  been  an  opportunity  for  worship.  There  they 
have  found  the  chance  for  joyous  praise  and  thanksgiving  to 
their  Father  for  His  care,  for  the  simple  and  humble 
confession  of  failures,  and  for  the  realization  of  the  forgive- 
ness which  makes  possible  renewed  endeavor.  Their  God  has 
become  so  real  to  them  through  quiet  communion  that  it  is 
as  if  friend  met  friend.  Does  the  public  worship  mean  this 
to  you? 

92 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VII-s] 

Sometimes  a  student  says,  "I  have  been  very  religious,  I 
have  been  to  church  today;"  as  if  our  Father  demanded 
certain  acts  of  homage  to  satisfy  His  dignity  and  win  His 
continued  favor.  If  the  public  worship  does  not  mean  a 
real  friendship  with  God,  can  it  be  said  that  attending  church 
is  truly  religious? 

Should  there  be  a  Sunday  school?  In  the  church  of  a 
century  ago,  young-  as  well  as  old  received  religious  instruction 
together  in  the  public  service,  or  by  memorizing  various 
catechism  questions  and  Scripture  lessons.  Today  many 
church  leaders  are  questioning  the  wisdom  of  the  same 
teaching  and  worship  for  children  as  for  grown-up  people, 
and  are  using  in  the  graded  Sunday  school  the  opportunity 
for  worship  and  teaching  suited  to  the  development  of  chil- 
dren as  well  as  older  people.  They  are  insisting  that  a  child's 
religion  is  not  a  small  pattern  of  a  man's,  but  that,  while  his 
experience  of  God  may  be  as  real,  it  is  different  from  what  it 
will  be  when  he  has  attained  years  of  maturity. 

Should  there  be  a  mid-week  prayer  service?  Ministers 
often  declare  this  is  the  thermometer  of  the  church,  that  it 
registers  whether  the  spiritual  life  is  warm  or  cold.  What 
does  the  prayer  meeting  mean  to  you?  What  should  be  the 
program  for  the  prayer  meeting? 

Should  there  be  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  a  Young  People's 
Society,  a  Men's  Brotherhood,  a  Men's  Missionary  Society? 
Almost  a  multitude  of  such  societies  have  grown  up  in  the 
church,  each  one  with  a  worthy  purpose.  What  should 
determine  how  many  there  should  be  in  any  particular  church? 

The  local  church  and  the  community 

What  should  be  the  relation  of  a  church  to  the  com- 
munity? How  about  social  service?  What  is  the  best  way 
to  get  Jesus'  balance  between  personal  religious  development 
and  community  service? 

Some  preachers  place  supreme  emphasis  upon  the  meetings 
and  activities  of  the  church  itself;  others  give  themselves 

93 


[VII-s]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

almost  exclusively  to  the  community.  One  minister  says, 
"Come  to  church  next  Sunday;  if  you  can  do  nothing  else 
you  can  at  least  show  your  loyalty  by  attending  the  public 
worship  regularly."  Another  says,  "If  fifteen  men  should 
come  to  me  asking  for  some  worthy  Christian  service  to 
perform,  I  would  be  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  give  them  to 
do." 

Another  minister  feels  that  his  church  should  be  a  center 
for  all  community  activity.  If  possible,  he  builds  an  institu- 
tional church  plant.  In  any  case,  he  organizes  various  sorts 
-of  clubs  and  societies  which  make  his  church  the  center  of 
community  as  well  as  of  distinctly  religious  activity. 

Another  minister  thinks  it  better  to  relate  his  members  to 
other  community  organizations  and  make  his  church  simply 
an  inspiration  and  training  center.  He  studies  the  community 
organizations  available  and  the  capabilities  of  his  members 
and  seeks  to  relate  them  to  social  settlements,  Christian  Asso- 
ciations and  parish  organizations.  He  makes  his  prayer- 
meetings  a  place  to  thank  God  for  achievements  and  to  pray 
for  help  in  difficulties  in  this  service. 

If  you  were  a  minister,  what  would  you  consider  the  rela- 
tion of  your  church  to  the  community?  How  far,  as  a 
member,  are  you  responsible  for  determining  the  policy  of  a 
church? 

The  student  and  the  local  church 

What  should  be  the  student's  relation  to  the  local  church? 

Has  a  student  a  right  to  be  a  church  tramp,  or  should  he 
ally  himself  with  one  church?  If  he  goes  from  church  to 
church  it  will  enable  him  to  hear  different  preachers  and 
increase  the  range  of  his  interest,  but  he  will  probably  go  to 
the  place  where  he  thinks  he  will  hear  the  best  music  and 
the  most  interesting  sermon.  He  will  become  a  sermon 
taster,  and  critical  in  his  attitude.  What  real  contribution 
does  the  church  tramp  make  to  church  life? 

Should  a  student  join  a  church  in  the  college  town?  His 
home  pastor  says  he  wants  him  to  keep  his  connection  with 

94 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VII-sJ 

the  home  church.  He  is  to  be  in  the  community  only  four 
years,  and  he  feels  it  hardly  worth  while.  Sometimes  the 
local  church  considers  the  student  element  transient,  and 
does  not  make  provision  for  students.  Some  churches  provide 
for  affiliated  membership.  Do  you  think  a  student  ought  to 
commit  himself  definitely  to  one  church? 

To  what  extent  does  a  university  church  service  take  the 
place  of  relationship  to  a  local  community  church?  In  the 
college  chapel  or  church  there  is  only  public  worship. 
There  are  none  of  the  normal  activities  of  a  community 
church.  Does  the  series  of  brilliant  preachers  prepare  a 
student  for  the  ministration  of  a  single  minister  and  prepare 
him  for  relationship  with  a  church  in  which  he  will  need  to 
take  his  share  in  meeting  its  difficulties? 

Consider  the  ordinary  student  excuses  for  non-attendance 
at  church.  Are  they  valid f 

Should  a  student  render  service  in  the  local  church?  In 
some  communities  the  leadership  of  the  church  is  so  largely 
in  the  hands  of  students  that  the  young  people  in  the  com- 
munity are  undeveloped.  The  life  of  the  local  church  should 
be  helped  but  not  monopolized  by  students. 

What  should  be  the  student's  relationship  to  the  church? 
Should  it  be  as  nearly  as  possible  typical  of  that  which 
he  has  had  before  coming  to  college,  and  which  he  will  have 
after  graduation?  If  a  student  is  not  allying  himself  with 
an  ordinary  community  church  during  college  days  and  spends 
his  entire  time  in  a  special  college  community,  it  is  doubtful 
if  he  will  have  the  patience,  interest,  enthusiasm  and  loyalty 
necessary  to  take  his  responsibility  in  helping  make  a  church 
in  the  community  where  he  settles  after  graduation  the  kind 
of  work  it  ought  to  be. 

The  church  universal 

But  sharing  in  the  life  of  the  church  means  more  than  all 
these  things.  Loyalty  to  the  Church  of  Christ  rises  above  our 
allegiance  to  any  local  church,  for  as  we  enter  into  the  life 

95 


;[VII-s]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

of  the  Church  we  become  in  a  very  real  sense  the  heirs  of 
the  ages.  The  history  of  twenty  centuries  becomes  our 
history.  The  triumphant  faith  of  men  and  women  who  haye 
been  a  part  of  the  Church  increases  our  faith.  The  Sacra- 
ments are  hallowed  by  the  fellowship  with  the  great  and  true 
of  all  time.  We  no  longer  think  of  the  Church  merely  as  "an 
association  of  human  beings,  but  as  a  spiritual  union  of  those 
who  are  united  with  Christ,  or  an  organism  of  which  He  is  the 
life,  a  body  of  which  He  is  the  Head."  We  confess  with 
shame  that  the  Church  is  not  better  today  "because  the  spirit 
of  Christ  has  no  better  medium  through  which  to  work  than 
the  obscured  vision  and  imperfect  faith  and  unclear  con- 
sciences of  such  men  as  we  are  today  in  the  Church  of  today." 
And  yet  we  rejoice  not  only  in  her  past,  but  in  the  glorious 
possibilities  of  her  future.  We  catch  the  faith  in  that  day 
when  "at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  shall  bow."  We  are 
carried  beyond  our  own  petty  interests  into  the  life  of  the 
world.  We  hear  the  call  of  the  needy;  we  give  ourselves  in 
joyous  devotion  to  the  task  of  bringing  in  the  Kingdom  among 
all  men. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  is  the  need  for  a  church? 

Why  are  non-church  members  unwilling  to  settle  in  a 
community  without  church  influence  ? 

Why  do  real  estate  promoters  make  provision  for  a  church 
in  a  new  community? 

Why  did  the  early  Christians  organize  a  church? 

Why  is  a  church  needed  in  a  community  today?  What 
differences  would  there  be  if  there  were  no  churches? 

What  is  essential  to  an  effective  church? 

Why  did  the  early  Christians  meet  together?  What 
elements  were  found  in  their  meetings?  Are  these  elements 
necessary  to  public  worship  today? 

96 


THE  STUDENT  AND  THE  CHURCH     [VII-s] 

If  the  preacher  is  uninteresting  and  the  music  unattractive, 
is  it  still  worth  while  to  go  to  church?  What  is  the  purpose 
of  the  public  worship? 

What  factors  entered  into  Jesus'  work  in  establishing  His 
new  Kingdom?  How  far  are  they  followed  in  mission  lands? 
To  what  extent  are  they  needed  in  the  church  in  America? 

If  you  were  founding  a  new  religion  what  emphasis  would 
you  put  on  preaching?  On  training  leaders?  On  philan- 
thropic and  social  service  activities?  Why? 

If  it  were  possible  to  reorganize  your  local  church  what 
features  would  you  omit,  what  would  you  change  and  what 
would  you  add? 

What  factors  are  really  essential  to  an  effective  church 
today? 

What  is  the  relation  of  a  church  to  the  community  f 

How  far  should  the  church  be  organized  as  a  community 
recreation  and  social  service  center? 

What  should  be  the  relation  of  a  church  to  the  Christian 
Associations,  social  settlements  and  other  allied  community 
organizations  ? 

W hat  should  be  the  relation  of  a  student  to  the  local  church  f 

How  far  is  each  church  member  responsible  for  the  effec- 
tiveness of  the  local  church? 

Should  a  student  ally  himself  with  one  church  or  may  he 
visit  from  church  to  church? 

Consider  the  validity  of  students'  excuses  for  non-attendance 
at  church. 

To  what  extent  is  a  student  under  obligation  to  contribute 
regularly  to  a  local  church? 

How  shall  he  determine  the  nature  and  degree  of  his 
responsibility  for  service  through  a  local  church? 

W hat  is  the  heritage  of  the  Church  Universal? 


97 


CHAPTER  VIII 

STUDENT   HONOR 


DAILY  READINGS 

The  college,  a  special  community  though  it  is,  has  many  of 
the  characteristics  of  any  community.  There  is  business  to  be 
transacted  and  there  are  bills  to  be  paid.  Offices  must  be 
filled  and  honors  conferred.  As  in  any  community,  there 
come  the  temptations  to  dishonesty  and  unfair  play.  There 
is  the  opportunity  for  the  corruption  of  that  high  sense  of 
honor  which  marks  the  perfect  gentleman  and  gentlewoman. 

1.  What  are  the  opportunities  in  college  for  political 
corruption  and  graft?  There  are  a  great  many  positions  to 
be  filled  by  popular  election.  Too  frequently  these  offices 
are  considered  legitimate  spoils  of  the  most  popular  students, 
or  the  slate  of  nominations  is  arranged  in  a  caucus  among 
several  organizations,  and  the  election  assured  by  trading  of 
votes.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  qualifications  of  the 
student  for  the  particular  position  are  not  dominant  con- 
siderations. How  do  these  practices  resemble  the  methods  of 
the  Tammany  ring  or  its  counterparts  in  other  communities? 

Jesus  Himself  came  face  to  face  with  insidious  political 
temptation.  He  was  convinced  that  certain  reforms  were 
necessary  for  the  good  of  the  people,  and  He  was  eager  to 
have  His  ideal  accepted.  He  saw  the  possibility  of  success 
if  He  would  use  political  methods. 

Again,  the  devil  taketh  him  unto  an  exceeding  high 
mountain,  and  showeth  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world,  and  the  glory  of  them;  and  he  said  unto  him, 
All  these  things  will  I  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down 
and  worship  me.  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  him,  Get  thee 

98 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIII-2] 

hence,  Satan :  for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve. — 
Matt.  4:8-10. 

It  was  the  temptation  to  buy  the  popular  vote  from  the 
boss  who  said  he  controlled  it.  Jesus  saw  that  such  an 
election  of  His  ticket  by  the  people  would  have  destroyed 
in  these  very  people  the  true  citizenship  which  strives  for  a 
cause  rather  than  seeks  personal  reward. 

Why  do  students  in  your  college  vote  for  a  particular  candi- 
date? Is  student  grafting  a  legitimate  reward  of  election  to 
an  office  with  no  salary  attached? 

2.  What  is  the  reputation  of  students  in  matters  of  busi- 
ness? Why  is  it  that  local  tradespeople  are  so  wary  of 
students'  accounts  and  hesitate  to  give  credit  to  student 
organizations?  Claim  is  made  that  students  have  little  con- 
science about  .the  payment  of  their  bills  or  the  business-like 
handling  of  the  funds  of  an  organization.  If  the  treasurer 
of  a  student  organization  turns  over  his  office  and  leaves  an 
unintelligible  record  of  money  handling,  the  other  students 
say  he  was  careless  and  seek  to  excuse  him.  If  they  suspect 
that  he  has  appropriated  certain  funds  for  his  own  college 
expenses,  they  declare  they  would  not  be  so  mean  as  to  make 
him  any  trouble  about  it.  It  is  often  considered  a  fine  piece 
of  humor  to  "pad"  expense  accounts  that  are  sent  home.  A 
business  firm  insists  on  the  careful  auditing  of  its  accounts  at 
stated  periods.  It  is  often  considered  unnecessary  in  student 
organizations. 

The  handling  of  funds  is  a  real  test  of  character.  The  only 
disciple  who  finally  deserted  Jesus  was  the  man  who  was 
treasurer  and  could  not  meet  the  test  of  caring  for  the 
meager  funds  of  the  group  of  twelve  disciples.  Probably 
none  of  the  disciples  thought  of  it  at  the  time,  but  in  the 
light  of  subsequent  events  they  realized  how  many  deeds  of 
Judas  had  foreshadowed  his  final  end. 

But    Judas    Iscariot,    one    of    his    disciples,    that 
should  betray  him,  saith,  Why  was  not  this  ointment 

99 


[VIII-3]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

sold  for  three  hundred  shillings,  and  given  to  the  poor  ? 
Now  this  he  said,  not  because  he  cared  for  the  poor ; 
but  because  he  was  a  thief,  and  having  the  bag  took 
away  what  was  put  therein. — John  12 :  4-6. 

Will  your  college  record  in  business  dealing  stand  your 
future  employer's  scrutiny? 

3.  Does  the  academic  work  in  college  offer  the  same 
temptations  to  dishonesty  as  business  life?  Some  one  has  said 
that  college  work  is  a  student's  business;  that  the  grades  he 
wins  record  the  profits  he  has  made  on  the  investment.  Is  it 
as  crooked  to  secure  grades  by  unfair  means  as  it  is  to  secure 
profits  by  doubtful  practices? 

And  he  entered  and  was  passing  through  Jericho. 
And  behold,  a  man  called  by  name  Zacchseus;  and  he 
was  a  chief  publican,  and  he  was  rich.  And  he  sought 
to  see  Jesus  who  he  was;  and  could  not  for  the 
crowd,  because  he  was  little  of  stature.  And  he  ran 
on  before,  and  climbed  up  into  a  sycomore  tree  to 
see  him :  for  he  was  to  pass  that  way.  And  when 
Jesus  came  to  the  place,  he  looked  up,  and  said  unto 
him,  Zacchaeus,  make  haste,  and  come  down;  for 
to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house.  And  he  made  haste, 
and  came  down,  and  received  him  joyfully.  And  when 
they  saw  it,  they  all  murmured,  saying,  He  is  gone  in 
to  lodge  with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner.  And  Zacchseus 
stood,  and  said  unto  the  Lord,  Behold,  Lord,  the  half 
of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor;  and  if  I  have  wrong- 
fully exacted  aught  of  any  man,  I  restore  fourfold. 
And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  To-day  is  salvation  come  to 
this  house,  forasmuch  as  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham. 
For  the  Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost. — Luke  19 :  1-10. 

In  the  days  of  Jesus  all  tax  collectors  were  expected  to 
increase  their  profits  by  cheating  the  suspicious  people,  just 
as  it  was  understood  that  the  officials  in  the  Chinese  Empire 
would  "squeeze"  or  extort  all  the  taxes  they  could.  It  must 
have  created  a  great  sensation  in  Jericho  when  the  wealthy 
publican,  Zacchseus,  paid  with  three  hundred  per  cent  interest 

100 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIII-4J 

the  money  which  he  had  wrongfully  exacted  from  his  fellow- 
citizens.  Imagine  the  newspaper  headlines  if  some  grafting 
political  boss  today  should  follow  Zacchaeus'  example.  Have 
you  ever  known  a  student  who  had  the  courage  of  Zacchaeus? 
Why  is  the  crookedness  that  brings  academic  advancement 
particularly  loathsome?  What  sadder  reflection  can  there  be 
in  the  future  than  that  at  some  period  a  large  advantage  was 
gained  by  dishonesty  f 

4.  What  should  be  the  attitude  toward  underhand  play  in 
college  athletics?    In  the  days  of  Paul  if  a  man  contended  in 
the  games  he  was  not  crowned  unless  he  played  fairly.    Even 
had  Paul  been  a  Greek,  he  could  not  have  made  the  Olympic 
team,  but  no  person  except  an  athletic  enthusiast  could  have 
used  illustrations  from  the  games  so  exactly.    He  might  have 
been  commenting  on  a  modern  athletic  meet  when  he  wrote 
to  Timothy  and  said :   "If   anyone  takes  part  in  an  athletic 
contest,   he   gets   no   prize   unless   he   obeys   the   rules."      (II 
Timothy  2:5.) 

But,  suppose  the  referee  does  not  see  a  man  break  the  rules, 
does  he  lose  the  prize?  Some  athletic  coaches  have  been 
known  to  train  their  teams  to  win  at  any  cost :  anything  is 
fair  in  athletics  as  well  as  war.  //,  after  a  team  has  won  a 
decisive  game  for  the  championship,  it  was  discovered  that  an 
ineligible  player  made  the  winning  touchdown,  should  the 
college  renounce  the  victory? 

5.  What  is  the   trouble  with  dishonest  practices?     Jesus 
hated  hypocrisy,  shams,  and  cheating.    His  chief  quarrel  with 
the  Pharisees  was  because  their  religion  was  one  of  appear- 
ances, and  not  of  real  worth. 

"Alas  for  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  you 
pay  the  tithe  on  mint,  dill,  and  cumin,  while  you  have 
neglected  the  weightier  requirements  of  the  Law — just  judg- 
ment, mercy,  and  faithful  dealing.  These  things  you  ought  to 
have  done,  and  yet  you  ought  not  to  have  left  the  others 
undone.  You  blind  guides,  straining  out  the  gnat  while  you 
gulp  down  the  camel! 

101 


[VIII-6]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

"Alas  for  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  you 
wash  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  or  dish,  while  within  they 
are  full  of  greed  and  self-indulgence.  Blind  Pharisee,  lirs: 
wash  clean  the  inside  of  the  cup  or  dish,  and  then  the  outside 
will  be  clean  also. 

"Alas  for  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  you 
are  just  like  whitewashed  sepulchres,  the  outside  of  which 
pleases  the  eye,  though  inside  they  are  full  of  dead  men's  bones 
and  of  all  that  is  unclean.  The  same  is  true  of  you :  outwardly 
you  seem  to  the  human  eye  to  be  good  and  honest  men,  but 
within,  you  are  full  of  insincerity  and  disregard  of  God's 
Law."  (Matt.  23:23-28.) 

Jesus  demanded  an  integrity  that  would  pass  muster  not 
only  in  the  college  community,  but  in  the  secret  of  God's 
presence.  Do  we? 

6.  What  is  the  ideal  of  student  honor?  To  what  extent 
is  the  student  body  responsible  for  the  prevention  of  dishonest 
practices  among  students? 

How  many  people  of  influence  had  gone  year  after  year  to 
the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  without  raising  any  word  of  protest 
against  the  most  pernicious  form  of  graft  of  Jesus*  day,  the 
exorbitant  prices  charged  by  the  priestly  monopoly  in  the 
sale  of  cattle  and  birds  necessary  for  the  Temple  sacrifice? 
Not  one  before  had  the  courage  of  Jesus,  who  drove  the 
haggling,  cheating  crowds  out  of  the  courts. 

And  the  passover  of  the  Jews  was  at  hand,  and 
Jesus  went  up  to  Jerusalem.  And  he  found  in  the 
temple  those  that  sold  oxen  and  sheep  and  doves,  and 
the  changers  of  money  sitting :  and  he  made  a  scourge 
of  cords,  and  cast  all  out  of  the  temple,  both  the 
sheep  and  the  oxen ;  and  he  poured  out  the  changers' 
money,  and  overthrew  their  tables;  and  to  them  that 
sold  the  doves  he  said,  Take  these  things  hence ;  make 
not  my  Father's  house  a  house  of  merchandise.  His 
disciples  remembered  that  it  was  written,  Zeal  for 
thy  house  shall  eat  me  up. — John  2 :  13-17. 

jk      There  are  students  who  feel  that  the  dishonesty  of  others 

102 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIII-7] 

is  none  of  their  concern.  At  any  rate,  no  one  would  be  con- 
temptible enough  to  cause  another  student  trouble.  But  in 
some  colleges,  the  students  have  banded  themselves  together 
to  see  that  dishonesty  is  not  tolerated.  This  is  sometimes 
known  as  the  "honor  system";  it  is  really  noblesse  oblige. 

7.  Is  more  demanded  than  precise  honesty  or  technical 
fair  play?  Every  one  of  us  has  met  at  some  time  hard,  cold, 
calculating  honesty — like  the  honesty  of  Shylock — that  never 
swerves  from  the  way  of  absolute  justice  in  accounts,  or 
examinations,  or  reports  about  fellow-students.  Sometimes 
we  have  said :  "He  is  so  horribly  honest  to  the  letter  that  he 
is  dishonest."  Such  a  man  would  be  the  first  to  "honestly" 
profit  by  another's  mistake.  Jesus  demanded  a  higher  honor 
than  exact  legal  honesty. 

Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  An  eye  for  an  eye, 
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth:  but  I  say  unto  you,  Resist 
not  him  that  is  evil:  but  whosoever  smiteth  thee  on 
thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.  And  if 
any  man  would  go  to  law  with  thee,  and  take  away 
thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also.  And  whosoever 
shall  compel  thee  to  go  one  mile,  go  with  him  two. 
Give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and  from  him  that 
would  borrow  of  thee  turn  not  thou  away.  Ye  have 
heard  that  it  was  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor, 
and  hate  thine  enemy :  but  I  say  unto  you,  Love  your 
enemies,  and  pray  for  them  that  persecute  you;  that 
ye  may  be  sons  of  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven :  for 
he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the  good, 
and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust.  For  if 
ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye? 
do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same?  And  if  ye 
salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than 
others?  do  not  even  the  Gentiles  the  same?  Ye 
therefore  shall  be  perfect,  as  your  heavenly  Father 
is  perfect.— Matt.  5  :  38-48. 

"The  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth  life."  (II  Cor.  3:6.) 
May  we  be  released  from  the  prison  house  of  legal  honesty 
into  the  glorious  freedom  of  the  upright  life.  May  we  go  on 

103 


[VIII-s]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

to  the  larger  honesty  that  goes  far  beyond  the  letter  of  our 
agreement,  and  bases  itself  upon  love  and  sympathy  as  well 
as  justice. 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

"I'm  not  a  citizen  of  this  town;  I  am  a  student.  That  was 
simply  a  college  prank.  You  ought  to  wink  at  it." 

"I  would  have  paid  that  as  soon  as  I  had  money.  Why 
couldn't  that  storekeeper  give  me  credit?" 

"This  student  organization  position  costs  me  a  lot  of  time. 
I  don't  get  anything  out  of  it.  Isn't  this  money  for  a  side 
trip  or  that  extra  sweater  legitimate  graft?  What's  the  harm 
in  borrowing  a  little  from  the  organization  treasury?  I'll  pay 
it  back  later." 

"That  crowd  voted  for  our  men;  of  course  we've  got  to 
support  them." 

"I  have  a  right  to  crib  when  the  instructor  is  in  the  room. 
It's  his  business  to  catch  me.  Anyway,  do  you  want  me  to 
be  mean  enough  to  refuse  to  give  a  fellow  help  ?" 

"Of  course,  I  wouldn't  cheat  in  business,  but  you  don't 
call  this  cheating?" 

Such  remarks  as  these  can  be  heard  on  almost  any  campus. 
Has  the  college  community  a  special  code  of  honor?  Is  it 
right  to  hold  a  student  to  the  same  standard  of  fairness  and 
honesty  as  the  citizens  in  a  community?  The  writer  to  the 
Hebrews  spoke  of  Jesus  as  "not  unable  to  feel  for  us  in  our 
weaknesses,  but  one  who  was  tempted  in  every  respect  just  as 
we  are  tempted,  and  yet  did  not  sin."  (Hebrews  4:15.) 
How  did  the  temptations  to  dishonesty  and  unfair  play  in  the 
time  of  Jesus  differ  from  those  in  the  college  community 
today? 

The  test  of  personal  popularity 

Jesus,  at  the  very  beginning  of  His  ministry,  faced  the 
test  of  popularity.  He  wanted  to  win  the  crowds,  and  He 
realized  the  power  of  a  popular  hero.  As  a  boy  in  the  capital 

104 


Has 
:   righ 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIII-sJ 

city,  Jerusalem,  He  had  seen  the  crowds  thronging  the 
Temple  court  at  the  time  of  morning  and  evening  sacrifice. 
He  knew  how  they  clamored  for  signs.  He  must  have  felt 
their  expectancy  that  some  day  Messiah  would  come  in  that 
place.  Alone  in  the  wilderness,  pondering  how  He  could  win 
the  populace  to  His  new  cause,  the  picture  of  the  thousands 
gathered  for  early  Morning  Prayers  came  to  Him,  and  there 
flashed  through  his  mind  the  words  of  the  ancient  psalm 

For  he  will  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee, 
To  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways. 
They  shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands, 
Lest  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. 

—Psalm  91:11,  12. 

Here  was  indeed  the  way  to  get  that  crowd.  They  could  be 
stirred  to  the  wildest  enthusiasm  by  anything  spectacular.  If 
He  just  appeared  on  the  Temple  roof  and  then  threw  Himself 
down  unharmed,  His  name  would  be  on  everybody's  lips; 
He  would  be  the  popular  hero.  They  would  declare  Him  the 
Messiah.  He  could  lead  where  He  would. 

Then  the  devil  taketh  him  into  the  holy  city;  and  he 
set  him  on  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and  saith  unto 
him,  If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  down: 
for  it  is  written,  He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  con- 
cerning thee :  and,  on  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee 
up,  lest  haply  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. — 
Matt.  4 :  5,  6. 

Whatever  else  may  have  been  involved,  this  was  a  tempta- 
tion to  win  the  crowds  to  Himself  by  a  grandstand  play. 
Mohammed  faced  this  temptation  and  was  conquered  by  it. 
Jesus  turned  away  victor. 

Does  this  differ  from  the  temptation  which  the  student 
faces  in  trying  to  become  by  spectacular  achievements  the 
most  popular  person  on  the  campus? 

The  test  of  political  power 

In  the  wilderness  Jesus  also  faced  the  test  of  political 
power.  As  a  boy  He  had  often  heard  political  discussions  by 

105 


[VIII-s]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

the  men  on  the  streets  of  Nazareth.  He  had  listened  all 
expectant  to  the  tales  of  the  revolution  led  by  Judas  the 
Hammerer,  and  of  the  good  old  days  of  the  Maccabaean  free- 
dom. He  heard  them  speculating  how  soon  the  promised 
Messiah  would  free  them  from  the  galling  yoke  of  Rome. 
He  had  seen  the  dark  looks  of  hatred  at  the  mention  of 
foreign  tyranny.  Revolution  was  in  the  very  air.  Jesus 
remembered  what  His  people  had  done  in  the  Maccabaean 
days  when  their  political  aspirations  were  stirred  by  religious 
fervor.  He  had  the  same  chance  to  play  upon  their  religious 
and  political  prejudices,  and  there  in  the  wilderness  He  saw 
Himself  the  leader  of  a  revolution,  the  hated  Roman  driven 
out  of  the  land,  the  conquering  armies  of  Judah,  augmented 
by  the  nations  of  the  earth,  sweeping  on  victoriously;  Rome 
destroyed,  Jerusalem  the  capital  of  the  world. 

Again,  the  devil  ....  showeth  him  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them ;  and  he  said  unto 
him,  All  these  things  will  I  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall 
down  and  worship  me.  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  him, 
Get  thee  hence,  Satan :  for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt 
worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
serve.— Matt.  4:8-10. 

It  was  no  idle  dream.  Jesus  could  easily  have  led  a  revo- 
lution that  would  have  driven  out  the  Roman  power  and 
brought  the  countries  of  the  Roman  world  to  His  feet. 
During  the  early  sixties,  a  border  ruffian  in  China  faced  the 
same  possibility  of  establishing  a  so-called  Christian  Kingdom 
by  force  of  arms.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  he  conquered  half 
of  China,  and  twenty  million  people  lost  their  lives  in  the 
Taiping  (Great-Peace)  Rebellion. 

It  was  the  temptation  of  political  power.  What  is  the 
difference  between  controlling  armies  and  controlling  votes? 

The  temptation  to  patronage 

In  the  establishment  of  His  new  Kingdom,  Jesus  faced 
strongly  intrenched,  influential  parties  of  Scribes,  Pharisees, 

106 


STUDENT  PIONOR  [VIII-s] 

and  Sadducees.  He  might  have  overlooked  their  sins,  and 
attempted  to  win  them  as  patrons  of  His  new  movement. 
Even  if  He  did  not  compromise  thus  far,  He  might  have 
ignored  them  and  preached  to  the  people.  Deliberately  He 
broke  with  their  petty  customs  and  attacked  their  outstanding 
sins.  As  a  result,  with  hatred  they  sought  His  life.  The 
Pharisees  were  watching  to  see  whether  He  would  respect 
their  Sabbath  law.  He  might  have  ignored  the  need  of  the 
man  with  the  withered  hand,  but  He  chose  to  help  him  on 
the  Sabbath.  "But  no  sooner  had  the  Pharisees  left  the 
synagogue  than  they  held  a  consultation  with  the  Herodians 
against  Jesus,  to  devise  some  means  of  destroying  Him." 
(Mark  3:6.)  He  might  have  closed  His  eyes  to  the  system 
of  Temple  graft ;  instead,  in  indignation  He  drove  the  grafters 
from  the  Temple  courts.  "This  the  High  Priests  and  Scribes 
heard,  and  they  began  to  devise  means  to  destroy  Him." 
(Mark  11 :  18.)  When  they  sought  to  entrap  Him  with  trivial 
questions  of  authority,  instead  of  parrying  their  questions  in 
tactful  self-preservation,  He  courageously  sought  to  win  them 
from  their  unrighteousness.  "And  they  kept  looking  out  for 
an  opportunity  to  seize  Him,  but  were  afraid  of  the  people; 
for  they  saw  that  in  this  parable  He  had  referred  to  them." 
(Mark  12:  12.) 

Even  more  difficult  must  have  been  the  appeal  of  His  own 
friends.  James  and  John  felt  that  their  relation  to  Him 
should  give  them  some  inside  offices  in  the  new  Kingdom. 
Jesus  entirely  ignored  the  fact  that  they  were  His  most  inti- 
mate friends,  and  that  therefore  He  might  be  under  some 
obligation  to  them;  He  asked  them  if  they  were  worthy. 

What  is  the  basis  for  the  election  of  nominees  for  college 
positions — patronage  or  real  worth ? 

The  demand  for  integrity 

Jesus  did  not  yield.  He  turned  aside  victor  from  the 
temptation  to  win  His  cause  by  bidding  for  personal  popu- 
larity, by  an  unwarranted  use  of  political  power,  or  by  depend- 

107 


IVIII-s]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

ing  upon  the  patronage  of  the  influential.  He  saw  that 
permanent  leadership  is  dependent  on  intrinsic  worth,  even 
though  temporary  power  may  be  gained  by  artificial  means. 
From  first  to  last  Jesus  demanded  integrity.  His  fundamental 
quarrel  with  the  Pharisees  was  that  He  could  not  tolerate 
counterfeit  coin.  They  were  continually  attempting  to  appear 
better  than  they  were.  Their  reputation  was  not  the  result 
of  real  achievement.  Continually  Jesus  warned  the  people: 

"Do  not  imitate  their  lives,  for  though  they  tell  others  what 

to  do,  they  do  not  do  it  themselves And  everything 

they  do  they  do  with  a  view  to  being  observed  by  men 

Alas  for  you,  Scribes,  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  you  are 
just  like  whitewashed  sepulchres,  the  outside  of  which  pleases 
the  eye,  though  inside  they  are  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and 
of  all  that  is  unclean.  The  same  is  true  of  you :  outwardly  you 
seem  to  the  human  eye  to  be  good  and  honest  men,  but,  within, 
you  are  full  of  insincerity  and  disregard  of  God's  Law." 
(Matt.  23:3,  5,  27,28.) 

It  was  a  fundamental  failure  of  character,  this  desire  to 
deceive;  this  attempt  to  make  men  think  they  were  righteous 
when  they  were  unrighteous  was  acting  a  lie.  Dishonesty  can 
not  bear  the  gaze  of  a  man  of  real  integrity.  Judas  could 
not  stand  it  longer,  and  slunk  away  in  the  dark.  In  the 
presence  of  Jesus'  standard  of  honesty,  Zacchseus  recognized 
his  practices  not  as  cheating,  but  as  stealing. 

"The  secret  of  hypocrisy  is  the  desire  to  appear  well  without 

paying  the  price  that  right  costs A  man  who  lies 

deliberately  hangs  out  a  wrong  signal.  He  creates  distrust 
as  to  the  dependableness  of  any  other  signal  he  may  ever 

make Many  a  man's  goodness  consists  in  being  as  bad 

as  he  dares,  of  keeping  just  within  the  boundaries  of  social 

respectabilit)' We  all  delight  in  being  respected  by 

others,  but  the  Master's  character  suggests  a  more  searching 
rule — to  become  such  persons  in  our  inward  life  that  we  can 
respect  ourselves The  other  element  in  the  genuine- 
ness of  the  man  is  revealed  in  His  phrase,  'The  Father  who 
seeth  in  secret.'  Now  when  a  man  brings  all  his  thoughts, 

108 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIlI-sI 

ambitions,   motives   and   heart   attitudes   to   this   arbitrament,. 

he  must  be  a  genuine  man That  we  live  on  good  terms 

with  our  fellows  may  not  be  a  test  of  sincerity  at  all;  that 
\ve  live  on  honorable  terms  with  ourselves  is  a  far  deeper 
standard;  that  we  live  on  right  terms  with  God  means  abso- 
lute genuineness  of  life Jesus  was  content  only  with 

an  inward  life  so  genuinely  good  that  He  need  never  be 
ashamed  of  Himself  or  shrink  from  the  eye  of  His  Father." 
(Fosdick,  "The  Manhood  of  the  Master.") 

Student  honor 


Reliability  in  meeting  financial  obligations,  business  integ- 
rity in  college  organizations,  fair  politics  in  the  college  com- 
munity, clean  play  on  the  athletic  field,  fairness  in  the  class- 
room and  the  examination — these  are  merely  various  aspects 
of  one  question :  As  a  student,  what  is  my  answer  to  Jesus' 
demand  for  integrity? 

Some  students  say  cheating  in  examinations  is  all  right  if 
you  don't  get  caught;  underhand  play  in  the  game  is 
justifiable  if  the  referee  doesn't  see  you.  This  means  that 
dishonest  practices  are  all  right  if  they  are  done  secretly, 
without  being  found  out.  What  was  Jesus'  demand? 

How  does  the  dishonest  student  differ  from  the  hypocrite 
denounced  by  Jesus?  He  is  presenting  accounts  for  the 
organization  of  which  he  is  a  treasurer  which,  on  the  face  of 
them,  seem  to  prove  him  an  honest  and  careful  administrator 
of  trust  funds;  but  he  has  been  using  part  of  this  money  for 
college  expenses.  He  is  elected  president  of  the  class,  but 
he  is  not  the  real  choice.  He  got  the  place  by  political 
chicanery.  He  helped  win  the  last  game,  but  he  knows,  even 
though  the  referee  of  the  game  does  not,  that  he  cheated  in 
the  play.  He  won  the  highest  standing  in  his  class,  but  he 
knows  that  another  did  his  work  for  him.  He  receives  an 
A.B.  at  the  close  of  the  course.  On  the  face  of  it  this  should 
mean  that  he  has  done  careful,  thorough  work,  but  it  is  not 
true. 

109 


[VIII-s]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

How  do  these  differ  from  underhand  and  dishonest  practices 
in  the  community ?  Are  students  amenable  to  the  same  law? 

Effects  of  college  dishonesty 

Does  college  dishonesty  train  for  future  dishonesty?  What 
effect  does  a  student's  college  record  have  upon  his  future 
opportunities? 

A  man  was  strongly  recommended  for  an  important  posi- 
tion. His  recommendations  seemed  good;  he  had  been  per- 
sonally commended  to  the  employer.  But  he  was  not 
employed.  The  employer  said,  "I  notice  his  name  is  one 
which  is  continually  on  the  University  Club  bulletin  board  as 
in  arrears." 

Another  college  student,  managing  a  college  entertainment, 
apparently  was  handling  things  honestly.  The  returns  showed 
a  slight  surplus.  A  close  friend  of  this  manager  knew  that 
he  made  away  with  $500.  This  would  not  have  been  possible 
if  there  had  been  proper  auditing  of  accounts.  Was  the 
•college  fair  to  the  man  who  thus  cheated,  to  let  it  be  possible  ? 
Could  that  man  be  trusted  in  any  business  position  where 
money  was  to  be  handled? 

A  half  dozen  girls  in  a  co-educational  college  said,  in  a 
caucus  with  a  small  group  of  men  with  regard  to  class  politics : 

"We  control  a  majority  of  the  votes  of  this  class.  Miss  • 

can  guarantee  such  and  such  votes.  Miss can  guarantee 

these  votes.  What  are  you  going  to  give  us?"  Would  these 
girls  in  a  political  election  buy  and  sell  votes? 

Establishing  student  honor 

How  can  dishonesty  be  eradicated?  In  some  colleges  the 
students  have  banded  themselves  together,  declaring  they  will 
not  tolerate  dishonesty  in  classroom  work  and  examination, 
that  they  will  not  give  or  receive  help,  and  they  will  prevent 
others  from  doing  it.  Is  this  feasible  and  wise?  This 
'"honor  system"  has  usually  been  used  only  in  relation  to 

110 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIII-s] 

examinations  and  in  class  work.  Could  it  be  applied  to  other 
forms  of  college  life  as  well? 

//  there  is  not  a  student  sentiment  against  dishonest  prac- 
tices, will  college  rules  prevent  them?  To  what  extent  are 
students  responsible  for  the  ideals  of  honor  in  the  college? 

How  far  is  the  ideal  of  the  epistle  to  the  Ephesians  realiz- 
able in  your  college? 

"For  this  reason,  laying  aside  falsehood,  every  one  of  you 
should  speak  the  truth  to  his  fellow  man;  for  we  are,  as  it 
were,  parts  of  one  another.  If  angry,  beware  of  sinning. 
Let  not  your  irritation  last  until  the  sun  goes  down;  and  do 
not  leave  room  for  the  Devil.  He  who  has  been  a  thief  must 
steal  no  more,  but,  instead  of  that,  should  work  with  his  own 
hands  in  honest  industry,  so  that  he  may  have  something  of 
which  he  can  give  the  needy  a  share.  Let  no  unwholesome 
words  ever  pass  your  lips,  but  let  all  your  words  be  good  for 
benefiting  others  according  to  the  need  of  the  moment,  so 
that  they  may  be  a  means  of  blessing  to  the  hearers.  And 
beware  of  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  in  whom  you 
have  been  sealed  in  preparation  for  the  day  of  Redemption. 
Let  all  bitterness  and  all  passionate  feeling,  all  anger  and 
loud  insulting  language,  be  unknown  among  you — and  also 
every  kind  of  malice.  On  the  contrary  learn  to  be  kind  to 
one  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  just  as 
God  in  Christ  has  also  forgiven  you."  (Ephesians  4:25-32.) 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

Are  students  amenable  to   the  same  standards  of  right  and 
honesty  as  citizens  in  the  community? 

How  do  "controlled  votes"  and  "political  bosses"  in  college 
differ  from  those  in  municipal  elections? 

Why  are  local  tradespeople  so  wary  of  student  accounts? 

How  does  cheating  in  examinations  differ  from  sneak 
thieving?  Is  it  as  crooked  to  secure  credits  by  unfair  means 
as  it  is  to  get  profits  by  doubtful  practices? 

Ill 


fVIII-s]  STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

What  is  the  difference  between  an  underhand  play  in  a  game 
and  hurting  your  professional  opponent  by  attempting  to 
besmirch  his  character? 

How  far  should  the  student's  dishonest  practices  be  winked 
at  as  college  pranks? 

What  were  Jesus'  standards  of  honor? 

How  did  the  temptations  to  dishonesty  and  unfair  play  in 
the  time  of  Jesus  differ  from  those  in  the  college  community 
today  ? 

What  was  the  meaning  of  the  temptation  concerning  "all 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world"?  The  temptation  to  "cast 
himself  down  from  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple"?  What  similar 
temptations  are  found  in  college? 

Why  did  Jesus  attack  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees?  What 
is  hypocrisy?  What  are  some  examples  of  hypocrisy  in 
college  ? 

In  the  light  of  Jesus9  standards,  where  would  you  class  the 
following  and  why? 

Trading  votes. 

Temporarily  borrowing  money  from  an  organization 
treasury  until  funds  come  from  home. 

Bluffing  in  recitations. 

Keeping  local  tradesmen  waiting  for  payment  of  bills. 

Attempting  to  "lay  out"  the  best  player  on  the  opposing 
team. 

Giving  help  to  another  in  examinations. 

What  can  be  done  to  prevent  dishonest  practices? 

What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  a  primary 
system  for  the  selection  of  nominees  for  important  college 
positions? 

Is  a  college  justified  in  refusing  to  graduate  a  student  who 
owes  bills  to  local  tradespeople? 

Is  auditing  of  accounts  of  student  organizations  necessary 
and  wise?  Why  or  why  not? 

112 


STUDENT  HONOR  [VIII-s] 

Is  reparation  necessary  in  cases  of  dishonest  practices? 

What  do  you  think  of  Zacchseus'  action? 

If  a  game  is  won  by  an  ineligible  player,  what  should  the 
college  do? 

If  the  right  to  a  diploma  is  won  through  cheating,  should 
the  student  accept  it? 

How  far  can  a  student  who  has  engaged  in  dishonest 
practices  in  college  be  trusted  in  business  or  politics? 

What  should  be  the  attitude  of  a  student  toward  dishonest 
practices? 

Is  the  student  who  knows  of  dishonest  practices  and  does 
not  attempt  to  eradicate  them  responsible  with  those  who 
engage  in  them? 

Should  a  student  follow  Jesus'  example  when  He  drove 
the  money  changers  out  of  the  temple?  Should  a  student  ever 
report  on  another? 

What  is  your  judgment  in  regard  to  the  "honor  system"? 


113 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   LAWS   OF  ACHIEVEMENT 

DAILY  READINGS 

Every  student  is  confronted  with  the  question,  What  am  I 
going  in  for  in  college?  The  college  has  places  of  trust  and 
influence  varied  enough  to  give  play  to  the  talents  of  all.  It 
is  interesting  to  watch  the  enthusiasm  of  fellow-students,  to 
see  the  choices  they  make  out  of  the  multitude  of  things  to 
be  done.  Here  is  one  whose  interest  in  athletics  is  very 
keen,  but  no  one  would  think  of  him  as  a  candidate  for  the 
debating  team.  Another's  literary  ability  already  marks  him 
as  a  possible  future  editor  of  the  college  paper.  That  man 
with  his  fearless  search  for  truth,  with  the  exactness  of  his 
mind,  is  sure  to  stand  high  in  scholarship.  Another  student 
has  a  genius  for  leadership.  Eventually  he  will  carry  his 
classmates  for  good  or  ill. 

1.  What  establishes  a  student's  right  to  a  college  honor? 
As  they  were  all  traveling  toward  Jerusalem,  James  and  John 
came  to  Jesus  and  asked  that  they  might  have  positions  of 
high  honor  in  His  new  Kingdom.  The  portfolio  of  the 
Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  would 
satisfy  them;  "to  sit  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left." 
Jesus  asked :  "Have  you  counted  the  cost  in  such  positions  of 
trust?  Are  you  ready  and  able  to  make  the  sacrifices  neces- 
sary?" "Oh,  yes,"  they  replied  instantly.  Jesus  said:  "You 
will  have  a  chance  to  show  whether  you  can  make  good.  I 
can  make  you  no  promises  beforehand.  Honors  like  these 
can  be  given  only  to  those  who  are  best  fitted  for  such 
important  posts." 

114 


THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT          [IX-2] 

And  there  came  near  unto  him  James  and  John,  the 
sons  of  Zebedee,  saying  unto  him,  Teacher,  we  would 
that  thou  shouldest  do  for  us  whatsoever  we  shall  ask 
of  thee.  And  he  said  unto  them,  What  would  ye  that 
I  should  do  for  you?  And  they  said  unto  him, 
Grant  unto  us  that  we  may  sit,  one  on  thy  right  hand, 
and  one  on  thy  left  hand,  in  thy  glory.  But  Jesus  said 
unto  them,  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask.  Are  ye  able  to 
drink  the  cup  that  I  drink?  or  to  be  baptized  with 
the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with?  And  they 
said  unto  him,  We  are  able.  And  Jesus  said  unto 
them,  The  cup  that  I  drink  ye  shall  drink;  and  with 
the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  withal  shall  ye  be 
baptized :  but  to  sit  on  my  right  hand  or  on  my  left 
hand  is  not  mine  to  give :  but  it  is  for  them  for  whom 
it  hath  been  prepared. — Mark  10 :  35-40. 

Is  the  standard  of  Jesus  too  high?  When  has  a  student  a 
right  to  college  honors ? 

2.  When  is  a  student  justified  in  seeking  college  honors? 
When  Jesus  was  a  guest  at  a  public  dinner  in  the  home  of  a 
certain  Pharisee,  He  noticed  how  many  of  those  who  were 
invited  scrambled  for  the  best  seats.  Using  it  as  an  illustra- 
tion, He  said: 

When  thou  art  bidden  of  any  man  to  a  marriage 
feast,  sit  not  down  in  the  chief  seat;  lest  haply  a 
more  honorable  man  than  thou  be  bidden  of  him, 
and  he  that  bade  thee  and  him  shall  come  and  say  to 
thee,  Give  this  man  place;  and  then  thou  shalt  begin 
with  shame  to  take  the  lowest  place.  But  when  thou 
art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in  the  lowest  place;  that 
when  he  that  hath  bidden  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  to 
thee,  Friend,  go  up  higher :  then  shalt  thou  have  glory 
in  the  presence  of  all  that  sit  at  meat  with  thee.  For 
every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled ;  and 
he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted. — Luke 
14:8-11. 
What  is  the  difference  between  seeking  an  honor  and 

seeking  to  be  worthy  of  it?    Should  the  man  seek  the  honors, 

or  the  honors  seek  the  man? 

115 


[IX-3]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

3.  What  is  the  significance  of  college  preferment?     Are 
honors  a  kind  of  "spoils  system,"  or  are  they  the  expression 
of  the  confidence  the  college  places  in  its  chosen  representa- 
tives ? 

When  a  certain  baseball  team  started  on  a  trip,  the  coach 
selected  every  player  from  members  of  his  own  fraternity. 
A  student,  in  commenting  upon  it,  said,  "If  the  team  wins 
the  majority  of  its  games,  we  may  forgive  them."  That 
college  felt  very  much  as  the  ten  when  James  and  John  sought 
to  pocket  the  spoils  in  the  new  Kingdom. 

Jesus  said,  "This  is  not  a  time  for  glorying  one  over 
another."  The  primary  purpose  of  preferment  is  not 
authority,  but  power  for  more  service. 

And  Jesus  called  them  to  him,  and  saith  unto 
them,  Ye  know  that  they  who  are  accounted  to  rule 
over  the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them;  and  their  great 
ones  exercise  authority  over  them.  But  it  is  not  so 
among  you :  but  whosoever  would  become  great  among 
you,  shall  be  your  minister;  and  whosoever  would  be 
first  among  you,  shall  be  servant  of  all.  For  the  Son 
of  man  also  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many. — 
Mark  10 :  42-45. 

To  the  man  who  makes  good  in  positions  of  trust  there 
come  increasingly  greater  opportunities  for  service;  to  the 
man  who  is  unwilling  to  accept  responsibility  as  a  trust 

there  comes  the  loss  even  of  the  opportunities  he  has  had. 

•» 

4.  What  is  real  achievement?    The  old  ideal  of  excellence 
was  that  a  man  should  do  better  work  than  his  neighbor;  but 
the  newest  education  pits  a  child  against  himself,  spurs  him 

X  on  to  do  Jiis — not  somebody  else's — best.  Vocational  training 
emphasizes  the  discovery  and  the  perfection  of  the  respective 
talents  of  each  individual.  We  no  longer  have  a  limited 
aristocracy  and  a  vast  body  of  slaves,  as  in  ancient  Athens. 
We  are  working  for  the  real  democracy,  which  means  every 
man  at  his  best,  and  working  for  the  common  good. 

116 


THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT  [IX-5] 

Jesus  knew  that  He  had  represented  the  Father,  for  He 
had  done  perfectly  the  work  which  was  His  to  do.  "I  have 
glorified  thee  on  earth  by  accomplishing  the  work  thou 
gavest  me  to  do."  (John  17:4.) 

The  aged  Paul  had  the  same  conception  of  achievement. 

I  have  fought  the  good  fight,  I  have  finished  the 
course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid 
up  for  me  the  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  to  me  at  that 
day :  and  not  only  to  me,  but  also  to  all  them  that  have 
loved  his  appearing. — II  Timothy  4 :  7,  8. 

Can  we  say  this  at  the  end  of  each  year?  of  each  day? 

5.  Can  a,  self-seeker  really  achieve?    The  self-sqeker  thinks 
that  everything  on  the  campus  should  serve  his  needs.     He 
cares  more  for  a  good  reputation  than  for  a  good  character. 
He  seeks  a  position  as  an  honor  to  himself,  not  as  an  oppor- 
tunity to  serve  his  fellow-students.     Jesus  told  the  story  of 
a  certain  man  who  was  very  sure  of  his  own  importance,  and 
looked  down  upon   everybody  else.     "Two  men  went  up  to 
pray  in  the  temple;  one  was  a  Pharisee  and  the  other  was  a 
taxgatherer.     The  Pharisee  stood  up  and  prayed  by  himself 
as  follows;  'I  thank  thee,  O  God,  I  am  not  like  the  rest  of 
men,   thieves,   rogues,   and   immoral,    or    even   like   yon   tax- 
gatherer.     Twice   a  week   I    fast;   on   all   my   income   I   pay 
tithes/    But  the  taxgatherer  stood  far  away  and  would  not  lift 
even  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but  beat  his  breast,  saying,  'O  God, 
have  mercy  on  me  for  my  sins!'"     (Luke  18:10-13.)     Jesus 
did  not  hesitate  to  say  that  it  was  the  taxgatherer  who  was 
acceptable   to   God.     And   the    Pharisee    failed   even   of   the 
reputation  for  goodness. 

Jesus   commented,   "Everyone  who  uplifts  himself  will  be 
humbled,  and  he  who  humbles  himself  will  be  uplifted." 
Does  the  self-seeker  get  what  he  seeks? 

6.  What  is  the  secret  of  achievement?    Many  people,  when 
asking  anyone  to  join  an  organization  or  to  support  a  cause, 
explain  the  advantages  to  the  individual  resulting  from  such 

117 


[IX-7]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

an  alliance.  In  striking  contrast  to  this,  Jesus  always 
challenged  His  disciples  by  pointing  out  the  inevitable  loss 
resulting  from  following  Him.  One  of  His  most  impressive 
sayings  and  one  that  is  frequently  repeated  in  the  Gospels, 
emphasizes  the  fact  that  success  depends  upon  sacrifice. 

For  whosoever  would  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  and 
whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  and  the 
gospel's  shall  save  it. — Mark  8 :  35. 

No  man  could  escape  His  persistent  emphasis  on  this  one 
principle. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  grant  that  this  means  growth  in  the 
religious  life.  But  is  the  secret  of  achievement  in  art,  in 
science,  in  business,  that  he  who  saves  his  life  loses  itf  Can 
every  person  who  will  pay  the  price  really  achieve?  Does  this 
hold  in  college? 

7.  What  is  the  measure  of  achievement?  Various  motives 
have  come  to  men  which  have  led  them  to  lose  their  li\es  for 
greater  good.  The  man  with  a  goal  of  business  success  will 
make  any  sacrifice  in  order  to  attain  the  coveted  prize.  Most 
college  students  make  personal  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  future 
good.  "They  fix  their  gaze  on  the  coming  reward."  (Hebrews 
11:26.)  The  love  of  friends  or  family,  or  loyalty  to  a 
greater  cause,  has  held  many  persons  steady  and  true,  and 
made  possible  achievement  in  the  life  and  character  which  no 
selfish  motive  would  ever  have  gained. 

A  man's  achievements  are  measured  by  the  ambitions  and 
'"motives  that  dominate  his  life.  On  the  road  to  Damascus  all 
lesser  motives  of  Paul  were  transformed  into  the  one  supreme 
motive — to  secure  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  Christ 
Jesus. 

Not  that  I  have  already  obtained,  or  am  already 
made  perfect:  but  I  press  on,  if  so  be  that  I  may  lay 
hold  on  that  for  which  also  I  was  laid  hold  on  by 
Christ  Jesus.  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  yet  to 
have  laid  hold:  but  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  the 
things  which  are  behind,  and  stretching  forward  to 

118 


THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT  [IX-s] 

the  things  which  are  before,  I  press  on  toward  the 
goal  unto  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus. — Philippians  3 :  12-14. 

With  simple  directness  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples  that  the 
mastering  motive  of  His  life  was  to  do  the  will  of  His 
Father,  and  finish  His  work. 

Jesus  saith  unto  them,  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of 
him  that  sent  me,  and  to  accomplish  his  work. — John 
4:34. 

Jesus  asked  His  followers  to  invest  their  lives  "for  his  sake 
and  the  sake  of  the  good  news." 

Christians  say  that  they  find  in  the  love  for  the  Christ-like 
God,  in  their  loyalty  to  Jesus  and  His  ideals,  in  their  ambi- 
tion to  represent  Him  worthily,  and  to  help  bring  in  His 
Kingdom  in  college,  in  the  home,  in  business,  a  motive  and 
power  which  enables  them  to  live  the  life  most  worth  while. 

Can  any  motive  less  compelling  than  love  for  God  and 
loyalty^to  His  Kingdom  really  bring  achievement? 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

"Now  there  arose  a  dispute  among  them,  which  of  them 
was  to  be  the  greatest.  And  Jesus,  knowing  the  reasoning 
that  was  in  their  hearts,  took  a  young  child  and  made  him 
stand  by  His  side  and  said  to  them,  'Whoever  for  my  sake 
receives  this  little  child,  receives  me;  and  whoever  receives 
me,  receives  Him  who  sent  me.  For  the  lowliest  among  you 
all— he  is  the  greatest/"  (Luke  9:46-48.) 

"For  whoever  uplifts  himself  will  be  humbled,  and  he  who 
humbles  himself  will  be  uplifted."  (Luke  14:  11.) 

"Now,  whoever  desires  to  be  great  among  you  must  be 
your  servant;  and  whoever  desires  to  be  first  among  you 
must  be  the  bondservant  of  all.  For  the  Son  of  Man  also  did 
not  come  to  be  waited  upon,  but  to  wait  on  others,  and  to  give 
His  life  as  the  redemption-price  for  a  multitude  of  people." 
(Mark  10:43-45.) 

119 


[IX-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

"In  most  solemn  truth  I  tell  you  that  unless  the  grain  of 
wheat  falls  into  the  ground  and  dies,  it  remains  what  it  was — 
a  single  grain ;  but  that  if  it  dies,  it  yields  a  rich  harvest.  He 
who  holds  his  life  dear,  is  destroying  it;  and  he  who  makes 
his  life  of  no  account  in  this  world  shall  keep  it  to  the  Life 
of  the  Ages."  (John  12 :  24,  25.) 

"Then  calling  to  Him  the  crowd  and  also  His  disciples,  He 
said  to  them,  'If  any  one  is  desirous  of  following  me,  let  him 
ignore  self  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  so  be  my  follower.  For 
whoever  is  bent  on  securing  his  life  will  lose  it,  but  he  who 
loses  his  life  for  my  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  Good  News, 
will  secure  it.  Why,  what  does  it  benefit  a  man  to  gain  the 
whole  world  and  forfeit  his  life?  For  what  could  a  man  give 
to  buy  back  his  life?'  "  (Mark  8 :  34-37.) 

It  sounds  well,  but  will  it  work?  Is  achievement  always 
dependent  upon  humbling  yourself,  upon  losing  your  life, 
upon  being  as  a  little  child,  upon  becoming  a  bondservant? 

Think  of  the  prominent  seniors  in  college,  and  their 
influence  on  college  affairs.  How  much  losing  of  life  does 
their  position  of  influence  cost?  There  is  the  editor  of  the 
college  paper;  it  must  seem  a  fine  thing  to  him  to  have  other 
people  reading  his  paper.  But  consider  the  long  hours  of 
grinding  on  copy,  the  emergency  arising  when  a  local  editor 
fails  to  cover  an  important  college  event,  or  when  a  long- 
promised  manuscript  is  delayed  beyond  the  date  of  going  to 
press.  Only  the  editor  himself  can  count  up  all  the  things  he 
has  given  up  in  order  to  make  the  paper  a  success.  Perhaps 
the  cost  of  making  a  place  on  an  athletic  team  is  more  obvious ; 
the  man  who  would  save  himself  the  long  hours  of  practice 
loses  his  chance  to  play  the  game.  Then  there  is  the  President 
of  the  Student  Body;  everybody  in  college  knows  him.  His 
presiding  at  student  meetings  has  brought  him  before  the 
public  eye.  But  how  many  students  in  a  mass  meeting  ever 
think  of  the  hours  of  committee  meetings,  of  the  perplexing 
problems  that  lie  heavily  on  his  mind  when  he  is  really  fulfil- 
ling his  trust  as  the  head  of  student  self-government? 

Look  deep  into  the  success  of  all  these  students.  They 
120 


THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT  [IX-sl 

have  real  honor  and  real  influence,  not  because  they  sought 
honor  and  influence,  but  because  they  tried  to  do  well  their 
work  for  the  college.  Those  who  snatch  a  high  position  by 
"bluffing"  only  become  the  more  conspicuous  marks  for  the 
scorn  of  the  student  body. 

"He  that  saveth  his  life  shall  lose  it,  but  he  that  loseth  his 
life  .  .  .  .  shall  find  it."  Is  there  any  road  to  achievement 
zchere  the  toll  collected  is  not  the  loss  of  oneself? 

Hindrances  to  achievement 

"It's  too  much  trouble;  it  isn't  worth  the  bother." 

How  many  times  has  this  spirit  ruined  great  possibilities? 
Two  young  men  enter  business  at  the  same  time,  taking 
similar  positions  with  equal  opportunities.  Within  a  few 
months  one  of  them  is  promoted  and  makes  his  way  steadily 
forward.  After  five  years  the  other  is  in  the  same  place.  It 
is  the  old  story  of  the  man  who  watched  the  clock,  who  saved 
himself  trouble,  but  lost  his  opportunity. 

Two  students  come  from  the  same  preparatory  school  and 
enter  college  together.  Their  professors  think  they  will  do 
practically  the  same  grade  of  work.  One  of  them  leads  his 
classes  all  through  college,  and  the  other  sometimes  falls  as 
low  as  a  passing  mark.  At  the  tenth  reunion  it  is  discovered 
that  the  poorer  student  has  far  outstripped  his  classmates. 
The  other  fellows,  in  commenting  upon  it,  remember  that  the 
"bright  man"  always  chose  the  snap  courses,  or  the  ones 
easiest  for  him,  or  those  in  which  he  thought  he  could  "work" 
the  professor;  while  the  other  man  had  planned  his  course 
with  a  view  to  developing  his  latent  resources.  The  student 
who  led  his  classes  had  saved  himself  the  trouble  of  hard 
work.  Had  he  lost  the  opportunity  of  finding  his  life? 

Does  it  always  hold  true  that  emphasis  upon  personal  con- 
venience and  pleasure  means  the  loss  of  the  greater  good? 

Study  any  organization  or  movement  that  has  succeeded. 
Think  of  the  Student  Christian  Association,  for  instance.  If 
it  is  actually  touching  the  life  of  the  college,  and  achieving 

121 


IIX-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

the  results  for  which  it  was  founded,  it  will  be  found  that  at 
least  its  officers  and  committee  members  are  throwing  their 
very  lives  into  its  work.  Many  a  great  cause,  national  or 
local,  has  achieved  only  through  the  spending  of  lifeblood. 
Does  the  organization  whose  members  save  their  lives  lose 
its  opportunity  for  real  achievement? 

"What  is  there  in  it  for  me?  I  do  not  mind  working;  but 
there  is  no  sense  in  working  for  nothing!' 

How  many  others  this  spirit  has  kept  from  achievement ! 

Such  was  the  thought  of  the  young  fellow  who  wanted  to 
pass  the  examination  in  Virgil.  He  spent  two  days  in  going 
over  the  examination  questions  that  had  been  issued  during 
the  ten  years  previous,  and  reduced  to  the  finest  mathematical 
calculations  the  relative  chances  of  having  questions  given 
from  each  of  the  six  books  of  Virgil.  This  calculation  showed 
that  it  would  be  more  worth  while  to  cram  the  second  book 
than  any  other.  When  that  man  was  through  college,  and 
entered  politics,  he  spent  his  time  figuring  how  he  could  win 
votes  for  his  own  election,  and  what  he  could  get  out  of  his 
office.  What  is  the  limit  of  achievement  of  such  a  person? 
Why  are  we  suspicious  of  self-seekers  in  business  or  politics? 

Self  versus  common  good 

The  demand  01  me  time  is  for  persons  who  will  subordinate 
their  individual  ambitions  for  the  welfare  of  the  group.  The 
older  forms  of  government  provided  for  the  rule  of  the 
many  by  the  few.  Wherever  the  newer  forms  of  government 
have  been  established,  it  has  always  been  the  aim  to  provide 
for  government  by  the  people.  In  the  realms  of  finance, 
individuals  stood  out  as  controlling  vast  fortunes;  the  move- 
ment today  is  increasingly  toward  the  control  by  larger  groups 
working  together.  The  whole  committee  system  is  a  result 
of  emphasis  upon  cooperative  work  rather  than  individual 
effort.  Does  this  group  achievement  tend  to  stifle  the  develop- 
ment of  talent? 

122 


THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT  [IX-s] 

Paul  said  that  the  secret  of  Jesus'  supremacy  was  that 
"although  from  the  beginning  He  had  the  nature  of  God  He 
did  not  reckon  His  equality  with  God  a  treasure  to  be  tightly 
grasped.  Nay,  He  stripped  Himself  of  His  glory,  and  took  on 
Him  the  nature  of  a  bondservant  by  becoming  a  man  like 
other  men.  And  being  recognized  as  truly  human,  He  humbled 
Himself  and  even  stooped  to  die;  yes,  to  die  on  a  cross.  It  is 
in  consequence  of  this  that  God  has  also  so  highly  exalted 
Him,  and  has  conferred  on  Him  the  Name  which  is  supreme 
above  every  other."  (Philippians  2:6-9.)  In  the  long  run  is 
it  true  that  whoever  uplifts  himself  shall  be  humbled,  and  he 
who  humbles  himself  shall  be  uplifted? 

The  degree  of  a  person's  achievement 

It  sounds  like  a  truism  to  say  that  a  man  gets  no  further 
than  he  himself  aims  to  go;  and  yet,  truism  though  it  is,  so- 
few  people  act  upon  it.  The  one  ambition  of  a  certain  girl 
was  simply  to  qualify  for  a  certain  professional  position. 
At  twenty-seven  she  had  attained  her  goal  and  found  she 
had  nothing  more  really  to  live  for.  A  man  entered  business 
with  the  determination  to  advance  to  a  $50,000  salary.  When 
he  had  reached  his  goal  his  life  seemed  sordid  and  empty. 

No  one  can  achieve  his  greatest  unless  his  goal  is  big 
enough  to  challenge  his  latent  possibilities,  to  sweep  him 
beyond  himself.  To  work  toward  any  event  or  for  the 
achievement  of  a  particular  position  is  confusing  an  incident 
in  life  with  a  goal  great  enough  to  last  forever.  Such  persons 
go  from  position  to  position  according  as  they  are  offered 
larger  salary  or  greater  fame.  But  there  must  be  a  dominat- 
ing goal  toward  the  attainment  of  which  a  position  is  simply 
a  means.  The  great  ambition  of  Jacob  Riis  was  to  see 
unhealthy  tenements  destroyed  and  living  conditions  trans- 
formed—to see  the  great  city  really  a  city  of  God.  This  goal 
became  the  guiding  principle  in  his  every  decision  and 
achievement.  You  can  trust  a  real  mother  to  respond  not 
only  to  the  appeal  of  her  own  children,  but  to  the  need  of 

123 


ClX-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

•every  little  waif.  Cornelia  Sorabji,  with  her  dominant  pur- 
pose to  help  women  of  India,  found  in  the  law  the  opportunity 
of  defending  their  cases  in  court.  A  dominant  ideal  weaves 
<even  the  simplest  things  into  the  great  life  plan. 

Back  of  every  great  achievement  in  the  history  of  the  world 
will  be  found  one  of  two  things — either  devotion  to  a  person 
or  devotion  to  a  great  cause.  With  His  unerring  insight 
into  the  lives  and  hearts  of  men,  Jesus  linked  the  two.  He 
challenged  the  world  to  lose  their  lives  for  His  sake  and  the 
sake  of  the  "Good  News,"  to  live  for  His  Cause  because  of 
their  love  for  Him. 

A  picket  frozen  on  duty, 

A  mother  starved  with  her  brood, 

Socrates  drinking  the  hemlock, 

And  Jesus  on  the  rood, 

And  thousands  who  humble  and  nameless 

The  straight  hard  pathway  trod; 

Some  of  us  call  it  duty, 

And  others  call  it  God. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  should  determine  the  securing  of  preferment? 

When  has  a  person  a  right  to  an  honor  or  a  preferment? 

What  is  the  significance  of  a  promotion  in  business?  of  a 
college  preferment? 

When  has  a  person  a  right  to  seek  honors?  What  is  the 
•difference  between  seeking  an  honor  and  seeking  to  be  worthy 
of  it? 

If  a  person  were  offered  two  positions,  one  at  $1,000  and  the 
•other  at  $1,200,  what  considerations  should  decide  his  choice? 
Do  these  considerations  apply  to  college  honors  ? 

What  is  real  achievement? 

When  is  the  owner  of  a  factory  with  4,000  capacity  satis- 
fied with  its  achievement?  Should  a  person  be  satisfied  with 
himself  any  sooner? 

124 


THE  LAWS  OF  ACHIEVEMENT  [IX-sJ 

Can  one  person  be  accomplishing  less  than  another  and  yet 
be  achieving  the  same? 

When  is  a  person  really  achieving? 

What  are  Jesus'  laws  of  achievement? 

To  what  extent  does  Jesus'  law,  "He  that  saveth  his  life- 
shall  lose  it,  but  he  that  loseth  his  life  shall  find  It,"  hold 
good  in  college  study,  in  college  honors,  in  business?  How 
far  is  it  a  universal  law? 

To  what  extent  is  it  true  that  "he  that  humbleth  himself 
shall  be  uplifted,  and  he  that  uplifteth  himself  shall  be 
humbled"? 

What  hinders  the  success  of  a  self-seeker?  Does  a 
self-seeker  get  what  he  is  looking  for? 

What  is  the  measure  of  achievement? 

How  far  is  achievement  determined  by  the  goal? 

How  large  must  be  the  goal  if  a  person  is  really  to  achieve?' 

What  is  the  goal  of  a  Christian's  achievement?  What  is. 
its  relation  to  other  aims  in  life? 

What  effect  has  the  Christian  motive  upon  business  and! 
professional  life? 

What  is  the  secret  of  real  achievement? 


135 


CHAPTER  X 

CHRISTIAN   CHIVALRY 


DAILY  READINGS 

We  read  the  stories  of  King  Arthur  and  of  Ivanhoe  not 
so  many  years  ago,  and  our  hearts  thrilled  with  the  tales  of 
armed  knights  and  ladies  gay.  The  age  of  romance  glowed 
with  the  chivalry  of  life.  The  chevalier  always  removed  his 
iron  glove  before  he  touched  his  lady's  hand,  and  even  now 
men  follow  his  example.  When  the  knight  received  his 
trophy  at  the  hand  of  his  lady,  he  raised  his  helmet  to  do 
Tier  honor;  and  today  men  raise  their  hats  as  an  evidence  of 
courtesy.  In  the  time  of  perilous  travel  he  always  placed  his 
lady  at  his  left  that  he  might  have  his  right  hand  free  to 
defend  her,  and  the  essence  of  the  idea  remains  today  as  he 
takes  the  outside  of  the  walk.  Many  such  customs  have 
been  handed  down  to  us  from  the  days  of  chivalry. 

1.  Why  have  polite  customs  originated?  Is  there  any 
reason  for  following  them  now?  The  chivalry  of  the 
medieval  knight  had  its  basis  in  thoughtfulness  for  the  lady 
to  whom  he  was  pledged  in  knightly  honor.  Do  all  rules  for 
etiquette  have  their  origin  in  thoughtfulness  for  others? 

Is  it  discourteous  to  think  only  of  self?  He  who  thinks 
only  of  self  pushes  and  scrambles  in  the  street  car  crowd, 
but  the  thoughtful  gentleman  does  not  forget  that  old  age 
is  to  be  respected  and  women  are  to  be  protected.  He  who 
has  this  fundamental  thoughtfulness  for  others,  which  is  the 
dominant  characteristic  of  the  true  gentleman,  proclaims  his 
real  politeness  by  his  actions,  even  though  he  may  disobey 
some  of  the  minor  conventions  of  society.  Rules  of  etiquette, 

126 


CHRISTIAN  CHIVALRY  [X-2] 

after  all,  are  only  the  recognized  expression  of  customs  which 
have  grown  out  of  the  thoughtfulness  of  one  for  another. 
For 

Politeness  is  to  do  and  say 

The  kindest  thing  in  the  kindest  way. 

In  Jesus'  day  it  was  customary  for  someone  to  bathe  the 
feet  of  the  guests  who  had  just  come  in  from  the  dusty  road. 
When  Jesus  and  His  friends  came  to  eat  their  Last  Supper 
together,  Jesus  was  the  only  one  of  the  group  who  was 
thoughtful  enough  to  perform  this  simple  service  of  courtesy. 

And  during  supper  ....  Jesus  riseth  from  supper, 
and  layeth  aside  his  garments;  and  he  took  a  towel, 
and  girded  himself.  Then  he  poureth  water  into  the 
basin,  and  began  to  wash  the  disciples'  feet,  and  to 
wipe  them  with  the  towel  wherewith  he  was  girded. — 
John  13 :  2,  4,  5. 

By  this  simple  act  Jesus  dignified  forever  the  thoughtful 
courtesies  of  life. 

2.  What  causes  thoughtfulness  for  others?  To  whom  is 
a  person  courteous?  In  countries  where  women  are  con- 
sidered merely  the  chattels  of  men,  there  is  not  found  any 
courtesy  extended  to  them,  even  in  lands  noted  for  their 
politeness.  It  is  only  in  the  countries  where  women  are  held 
in  high  esteem  and  respect  that  courtesy  is  accorded  them. 
Prejudice  between  races,  the  contempt  so  frequently  found 
on  the  part  of  one  race  for  another,  results  today,  as  through 
all  the  centuries,  in  serious  disregard  of  the  rights  of  others. 
The  feeling  of  Jesus'  day  is  clearly  reflected  in  the  surprise  of 
the  woman  at  the  well  that  a  man  who  was  a  Jew  would 
speak  to  her,  a  woman  and  a  foreigner. 

The  Samaritan  woman  therefore  saith  unto  him, 
How  is  it  that  thou,  being  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me, 
who  am  a  Samaritan  woman? — John  4:9. 

Jesus  brought  such  revolutionary  ideas  as  removed  preju- 
dice of  race  and  sex  and  station,  and  He  insisted  that 

127 


iX-3]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

folks  were  God's  noblemen  in  possibility,  if  not  in  actuality, 
and  worthy  of  esteem. 

There  cannot  be  Greek  and  Jew,  circumcision  and 
uncircumcision,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bondman,  free- 
man: but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all. — Colossians  3:  11. 

3.  What  are   the  implications  of  Jesus'  high  regard  for 
personality? 

But  whoso  shall  cause  one  of  these  little  ones  that 
believe  on  me  to  stumble,  it  is  profitable  for  him  that 
a  great  millstone  should  be  hanged  about  his  neck, 
and  that  he  should  be  sunk  in  the  depth  of  the  sea. 
....  See  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little 
ones;  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  in  heaven  their  angels 
do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven.— Matt.  18 :  6,  10. 

And  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  thank 
have  ye?  for  even  sinners  love  those  that  love  them. 
And  if  ye  do  good  to  them  that  do  good  to  you,  what 
thank  have  ye  ?  for  even  sinners  do  the  same.  And  if 
ye  lend  to  them  of  whom  ye  hope  to  receive,  what 
thank  have  ye?  even  sinners  lend  to  sinners,  to 
receive  again  as  much.  But  love  your  enemies,  and 
do  them  good,  and  lend,  never  despairing;  and  your 
reward  shall  be  great,  and  ye  shall  be  sons  of  the 
Most  High:  for  he  is  kind  toward  the  unthankful 
and  evil.  Be  ye  merciful,  even  as  your  Father  is 
merciful. — Luke  6:  32-36. 

Does  Jesus'  regard  for  all  folks  demand  that  every  man 
respect  every  woman  as  if  she  were  his  sister  or  his  mother; 
that  a  woman  shall  demand  that  a  man  guard  every  woman 
as  carefully  as  he  guards  her? 

How  many  people  do  you  know  who  do  nothing  to  hinder, 
and  everything  to  help,  other  people  be  true  to  the  highest 
ideals  of  manhood  and  womanhood? 

4.  Who  is  the  true  gentleman  or  gentlewoman?    The  word 
means  originally  "of  genteel  birth,  a  descendant  of  a   free- 

128 


CHRISTIAN  CHIVALRY  [X-4] 

man."     But  Jesus  insisted  to  the  men  of  His  day  that  it  is 
not  by  birth  or  family  alone  that  a  man  may  be  judged. 

Jesus  therefore  said  to  those  Jews  that  had 
believed  him,  If  ye  abide  in  my  word,  then  are  ye 
truly  my  disciples;  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and 
the  truth  shall  make  you  free.  They  answered  unto 
him,  We  are  Abraham's  seed,  and  have  never  yet  been 
in  bondage  to  any  man :  how  sayest  thou,  Ye  shall  be 
made  free?  Jesus  answered  them,  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  Every  one  that  committeth  sin  is  the 
bondservant  of  sin.  And  the  bondservant  abideth 
not  in  the  house  for  ever :  the  son  abideth  for  ever. 
If  therefore  the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall 
be  free  indeed.  I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's  seed; 
yet  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  because  my  word  hath  not  free 
course  in  you.  I  speak  the  things  which  I  have  seen 
with  my  Father :  and  ye  also  do  the  things  which  ye 
heard  from  your  father.  They  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  Our  father  is  Abraham.  Jesus  saith  unto 
them,  If  ye  were  Abraham's  children,  ye  would  do 
the  works  of  Abraham. — John  8:31-39. 

Everyone  has  in  the  inmost  shrine  of  his  soul  an  ideal  of 
the  true  gentleman,  the  true  gentlewoman.  In  proportion  as 
his  life  is  dominated  by  this  ideal,  does  his  outward  action 
prove  worthy  of  it,  for  by  the  infallible  laws  of  psychology, 
unclean  thoughts  tend  to  an  unclean  life;  and  real  high- 
mindedness  to  nobility  of  character  and  of  action. 

Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true,  what- 
soever things  are  honorable,  whatsoever  things  are 
just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things 
are  lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report;  if 
there  be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think 
on  these  things. — Philippians  4 :  8. 

Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see 
God.— Matt.  5:8. 

"Just  as  the  beauties  and  wonders  of  this  microscopic 
world  cannot  be  perceived  without  the  medium  of  the  lens, 

129 


[X-5]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

so  the  realities  of  the  spiritual  universe  cannot  be  experienced 
without  the  medium  of  the  pure  heart." 

Can  a  person  of  impure  thought  be  a  true  gentleman  or 
gentlewoman? 

5.  Is  it  ever  legitimate   to   make  it  hard  for  anyone   to 
realize  the  truest  ideals  of  manhood  and  womanhood?     We 
answer  instantly,  "Certainly  not."     Stop  and  think  how  many 
people  really  mean  it. 

Does  every  woman  we  know  expect  of  her  men  friends 
the  same  moral  standards  she  demands  of  herself  and  her 
women  friends?  Has  a  man  a  right  to  demand  in  his  ideal 
of  a  woman  what  he  is  not  willing  to  fight  for  in  himself? 
Is  there  one  standard  for  men  and  another  for  women? 

Is  a  girl  ever  justified  in  cheapening  herself  by  using  her 
physical  charm  to  lead  a  man  on  for  her  own  pleasure?  Has 
a  man  ever  a  right  to  take  advantage  of  a  girl's  ignorance  and 
lead  her  on  for  his  own  amusement? 

In  what  other  ways  may  one  facilitate  the  destruction  of 
another's  finest  ideals  of  manhood  and  womanhood? 

How  far  does  Jesus'  principle  apply? 

All  things  therefore  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto  them : 
for  this  is  the  lav/  and  the  prophets. — Matt.  7 :  12. 

Keep  pure  thy  soul ! 

Then  shalt  thou  take  the  whole 

Of  delight; 

Then,  without  a  pang, 

Thine  shall  be  all  beauty  whereof  the  poet  sang — 

The  perfume,  and  the  pageant,  the  melody,  the  mirth 

Of  the  golden  day,  and  the  starry  night; 

Of  heaven,  and  of  earth. 

Oh,  keep  pure  thy  soul ! 

— Richard  Watson  Gilder. 

6.  What  are  the  results  of  true  chivalry?     The  basis  of 
chivalry  is  unselfishness,  and  the  man  who  thinks  of  others 

130 


CPIRISTIAN  CHIVALRY  [X-7] 

rather  than  himself  grows  in  those  traits  of  character  which 
mark  the  true  gentleman. 

And  he  said,  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man 
should  cast  seed  upon  the  earth;  and  should  sleep  and 
rise  night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should  spring  up  and 
grow,  he  knoweth  not  how.  The  earth  beareth  fruit 
of  herself;  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full 
grain  in  the  ear.  But  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  straight- 
way he  putteth  forth  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest 
is  come. — Mark  4 :  26-29. 

The  laws  of  growth  in  the  Kingdom  apply  truly  in  this 
great  quality  of  citizenship  in  the  Kingdom.  Taking  root  in 
unselfishness,  chivalry  grows  into  great  strength,  until  its 
branches  invade  the  region  of  all  the  graces  of  character  and 
of  all  the  relationships  of  life.  One  becomes  instinctively 
chivalrous  and  exhibits  the  refinement  of  gentility. 

What  is  the  difference  in  the  result  between  thinking  about 
the  conventions  of  politeness  and  being  thoughtful  for  others? 

7.  What  are  the  possibilities  of  comradeship  between  men 
and  women?  Paul  knew  the  meaning  of  fine  comradeship 
with  women.  The  letter  of  introduction  given  to  Phoebe, 
now  embedded  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Romans,  gives 
abundant  evidence  of  this. 

"Herewith  I  introduce  our  sister  Phoebe  to  you,  who  is  a 
servant  of  the  Church  at  Cenchreae,  that  you  may  receive  her 
as  a  fellow  Christian  in  a  manner  worthy  of  God's  people, 
and  may  assist  her  in  any  matter  in  which  she  may  need  help. 
For  she  has  indeed  been  a  kind  friend  to  many,  including 
myself.  Greetings  to  Prisca  and  Aquila  my  fellow  laborers 
in  the  work  of  Christ  Jesus — friends  who  have  endangered 
their  own  lives  for  mine.  I  am  grateful  to  them,  and  not  I 
alone,  but  all  the  Gentile  Churches  also.  Greetings,  too,  to 
the  Church  that  meets  at  their  house.  Greetings  to  my  dear 
Epsenetus,  who  was  the  earliest  convert  to  Christ  in  the 
province  of  Asia;  to  Mary  who  has  laboured  strenuously 
among  you."  (Romans  16:1-6.) 

131 


[X-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

"Greetings  to  those  Christian  workers,  Tryphsena  and 
Tryphosa;  also  to  dear  Persis,  who  has  laboured  strenuously 
in  the  Lord's  work.  Greetings  to  Rufus,  who  is  one  of  the 
Lord's  chosen  people;  and  to  his  mother,  who  has  also  been 
a  mother  to  me  ....  to  Philologus  and  Julia,  Nereus  and 
his  sister  and  Olympas,  and  to  all  God's  people  associated 
with  them."  (Romans  16:  12,  13,  15.) 

There  is  danger  of  losing  from  the  life  of  college  students 
the  possibilities  of  genuine  comradeship  between  men  and 
women.  When  two  men  are  pals,  no  attempt  is  made  to 
embarrass  them  in  the  naturalness  of  such  a  relationship;  but 
all  too  many  barriers  are  placed  in  the  way  of  men  and 
women  being  just  such  good  comrades.  If  a  woman  enjoys 
the  company  of  several  men,  she  is  a  flirt;  if  a  man  confines 
his  attention  to  one  woman,  then  it  is  a  serious  case.  Various 
so-called  friends  blight  with  self-consciousness  the  lives  of 
others  by  unkind  "joshing." 

Great  comradeships,  like  great  friendships,  grow  out  of 
common  ideals  and  interest,  but  out  of  complementary  ideas 
and  abilities.  The  grace  and  fineness  of  a  woman  gives  tone 
to  a  man's  more  rugged  qualities;  and  a  man's  sense  of 
proportion  helps  to  balance  a  woman's  intense  conscientious- 
ness. No  finer  influence  can  come  to  a  man  than  comradeship 
with  a  woman  of  pure  life  and  high  ideals.  Why  cannot  we 
insist  upon  the  possiblity  of  genuine  comradeship  between  men 
and  women? 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Only  a  hermit  can  take  a  neutral  attitude  on  courtesy.  All 
of  the  rest  of  us  are  brought  into  constant  contact  with  other 
people.  Refusal  to  pay  any  attention  to  courtesy  means  almost 
a  frank  indorsement  of  discourtesy.  The  man  who  elbows  his 
way  through  life,  intent  on  getting  there  himself  regardless 
of  man,  woman,  or  child,  puts  everything  in  discord.  More 
than  any  others,  perhaps,  those  in  public  service  show  how 
much  can  be  done  by  common  courtesy  to  make  the  machinery 

132 


CHRISTIAN  CHIVALRY  [X-s] 

of  life  run  smoothly.  Memory  still  lingers  of  a  platform 
guard  in  the  New  York  subway  on  a  Christmas  morning, 
who  redeemed  the  usual  nasal  twang,  "Step  lively,  please," 
by  his  jolly  "Merry  Christmas,"  adding  in  pleasant  tones, 
"Don't  jostle  each  other  getting  on  and  off — everybody  happy 
on  Christmas  morning."  Smiles  came  to  the  faces  of  the 
weary,  disgruntled  crowd  as  they  caught  the  real  Christmas 
spirit. 

True  chivalry 

True  chivalry  is  more  than  the  observance  of  conventions, 
more  than  mere  politeness.  A  very  punctilious  person  who 
thinks  only  of  his  own  reputation  for  politeness  may  rightly 
be  judged  essentially  discourteous.  Sometimes  men  and 
women  observe  the  forms  of  courtesy  in  a  spirit  of  deep 
and  corroding  contempt,  merely  for  the  sake  of  preserving 
their  own  self-respect.  These  violate  the  first  law  of 
chivalry — genuine  sympathy  and  thoughtfulness,  profound 
respect  for  the  other  person  as  a  person.  "Do  unto  others 
as  you  would  that  others  should  do  unto  you  and  unto  those 
you  love  best." 

The  ability  to  think  one's  self  in  another's  place,  that  high 
quality  from  which  proceeds  so  much  genuine  courtesy, 
increases  with  practice.  There  is  fostered  then  always  the 
habit  of  avoiding  what  will  embarrass  our  neighbor  and  of 
doing  quickly  and  easily  what  will  help.  There  was  once  an 
American  hostess  who  graciously  put  at  ease  her  foreign 
guest.  Not  understanding  the  custom,  the  guest  drank  from 
his  finger  bowl,  whereupon  the  hostess  also  raised  her  own 
finger  bowl  to  her  lips.  So  many  seem  to  delight  in  calling 
attention  to  the  peculiarities  of  others  rather  than  in  courte- 
ously shielding  their  self-respect. 

The  more  intimate  the  life,  the  greater  the  need  for 
guarding  the  little  amenities.  The  courteous  son  learns  his 
courtesy  from  the  father  who  treats  the  boy's  mother  like  a 
queen.  The  wise  and  well-balanced  girl  is  she  whose  mother 
maintains  grace  and  dignity  in  relationships  with  her  husband 

133 


[X-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

and  sons.  The  household  of  strength  and  peace  is  that 
household  where  fraternal  bickerings  are  abolished,  where 
sister  and  brother  are  not  ashamed  to  accord  each  other  the 
consideration  they  would  readily  give  to  outsiders,  and  where 
sons  and  daughters  are  willing  to  remember  the  vast  debt  of 
respect  and  consideration  they  owe  the  parents  who  are 
older  in  wisdom  and  more  experienced  in  self-sacrifice. 

When  Wan  Chang  came  to  Mencius,  the  Chinese  sage 
contemporary  with  Plato,  asking  the  question,  "What  feeling 
of  the  mind  is  expressed  in  the  gifts  of  friendship?"  Mencius 
replied,  "The  feeling  of  reverence."  Wan  Chang  might 
equally  have  asked  the  question,  "What  feeling  of  the  mind 
is  expressed  in  true  chivalry?"  and  have  received  the  same 
answer  from  Mencius. 

We  are  told  that  the  elements  which,  blended,  constitute 
reverence,  are  "wonder,  fear,  gratitude,  and  negative  self- 
feeling."  The  old  chivalry  probably  had  in  it  much  of  self- 
confidence  and  not  much  fear  or  gratitude;  but  in  Christian 
chivalry,  toward  which  the  old  Chinese  philosopher  was 
pointing,  the  ready  recognition  of  the  necessity  of  reverence 
changes  all  this.  Jesus  laid  tremendous  stress  upon  the  worth 
of  the  individual,  upon  reverence  for  personality,  and  we  who 
follow  Him  might  well  keep  the  elements  of  reverence.  True 
chivalry  never  seeks  to  pry  into  the  secrets  of  another  soul, 
but  is  willing  to  wonder  and  admire — to  live  in  the  present, 
which  is  always  prosaic,  upon  a  plane  of  romance.  Reverence 
guards  life  against  the  danger  of  being  stripped  of  its 
adventurous  and  romantic  qualities. 

Real  regard  for  others,  just  as  true  self-respect,  involves 
restraint  on  one's  own  part  from  mean,  disreputable  or 
unworthy  speech  or  conduct.  The  chivalrous  student  finds  no 
place  in  conversation  for  shady  stories,  no  satisfaction  in 
sentimental  spooning,  no  delight  in  gossip,  or  anything  which 
cheapens  himself  or  others.  More  than  this,  such  a  student, 
for  the  sake  of  momentary  gratification,  will  never  wreck  his 
own  life  or  the  life  of  another  person,  nor  deaden  the  possi- 
bilities of  that  fineness  of  character  and  that  joy  of  life  found 

134 


CHRISTIAN  CHIVALRY  [X-s] 

only  in  those  who  are  pure  and  true.  "Whatsoever  a  man 
soweth  shall  he  also  reap." 

The  true  gentleman  disdains  the  attempts  of  those  who  have 
commercialized  the  finest  instincts  of  manhood  and  woman- 
hood. Instead  of  going  as  near  the  verge  of  respectability  as 
he  dares,  instead  of  frequenting  places  and  engaging  in 
practices  which  break  down  the  guards  of  purity,  he  recog- 
nizes that  he  must  begin  a  movement  for  true  chivalry  with 
himself. 

How  many  of  us  always  hold  to  the  standard,  "I  will  never 
do  anything  that  I  would  not  want  my  mother  to  know,  that 
I  would  be  ashamed  to  have  her  find  out"? 

Jesus'  high  regard  for  every  individual 

When  Jesus  came  to  Palestine  He  found  the  Pharisees 
holding  in  contempt  the  common  people  that  did  not  know 
the  law;  He  found  the  Jews  having  no  dealings  with  the 
Samaritans;  He  found  the  women  not  only  treated  with 
contempt,  but  quite  without  rights  before  the  law.  His 
emphasis  upon  the  worth  of  every  individual,  upon  the  sacred- 
ness  of  all  personality,  brought  the  Christian  standards  of 
chivalry  into  the  world. 

Not  even  in  the  twentieth  century  have  we  yet  laid  hold  of 
the  full  meaning  of  Jesus'  high  regard  for  every  individual. 
Jesus  taught  His  disciples  the  Lord's  Prayer.  "When  you 
pray,"  He  said,  "say  'Our  Father/"  We  use  glibly  the  term 
"the  brotherhood  of  man";  but  we  are  very  slow  to  see  its 
implications.  It  savors  of  cant  to  say,  "Every  man  is  my 
brother,  every  woman  my  sister,  and  I  will  treat  them  as 
such."  And  yet  no  one  who  follows  the  footsteps  of  the  Man 
of  Galilee,  and  hears  His  conversations  with  men  and  women 
in  Palestine,  but  realizes  anew  how  deep  was  His  regard  for 
every  person  with  whom  He  came  in  contact.  The  Pharisees 
accorded  their  reverence  to  people  for  what  they  were,  but 
Jesus  esteemed  a  man  not  only  for  what  he  was,  but  for  what 
he  desired  to  be  or  what  he  might  become.  Do  we? 

135 


[X-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

James  may  have  been  thinking  of  the  way  his  brother 
broke  down  distinctions  between  folks  when  he  wrote : 

"For  suppose  a  man  comes  into  one  of  your  meetings  wear- 
ing gold  rings  and  fine  clothes,  and  there  also  comes  in  a  poor 
man  wearing  shabby  clothes,  and  you  pay  court  to  the  one  who 
wears  the  fine  clothes,  and  say,  'Sit  here ;  this  is  a  good  place' ; 
while  to  the  poor  man  you  say,  'Stand  there,  or  sit  on  the 
floor  at  my  feet*;  is  it  not  plain  that  in  your  hearts  you  have 
little  faith,  seeing  that  you  have  become  judges  full  of  wrong 
thoughts?"  (James  2:2,  3,  4.) 

Nicodemus  was  slow  to  yield  his  position  in  the  august 
assembly  of  his  people  for  the  sake  of  a  humble  carpenter; 
but  Jesus  met  him  with  rare  tact  and  understanding  of  a  dif- 
ficult situation,  shared  with  him  simply  and  generously  the 
meaning  of  His  Kingdom.  Even  His  disciples  were  surprised 
to  see  Him  talking  with  a  woman  at  the  well.  They  were 
perplexed  when  He  encouraged  the  little  children  whose 
mothers  brought  them  to  the  Great  Teacher.  "Despise  not 
one  of  these  little  ones,"  He  said  to  His  puzzled  followers. 
"You  do  not  realize  how  much  they  are  worth  to  the  Father." 
He  accepted  the  hospitality  of  Simon  the  Pharisee,  and  Levi 
the  publican ;  was  an  honored  guest  at  the  wedding  feast ;  was 
welcomed  alike  at  the  home  of  the  wealthy  Lazarus  and  the 
fisherman's  simple  dwelling.  Indeed,  He  was  no  respecter  of 
persons.  The  woman  who  had  known  twelve  long  years  of 
illness  and  was  counted  accursed,  He  addressed  as  "Daughter." 
He  sought  out  the  man  who  was  put  out  of  the  synagogue  by 
the  angry  rulers  and  welcomed  him  to  His  fellowship.  The 
doubts  of  Thomas,  the  denial  of  Peter,  the  desertion  of 
Judas,  could  not  shake  His  unfailing  belief  in  people. 
Through  the  long  agony  of  the  mock  trial  He  was  a  gentle- 
man, and  at  last  poured  out  His  supreme  regard  for  even  the 
lowest  villains  in  "Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do." 

The  thoughtful  courtesy  which  many  of  us  accord  only  to 
the  immediate  circle  of  our  friends,  Jesus  extended  to  all  the 
world. 

136 


CHRISTIAN  CHIVALRY  [X-s] 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  is  the  importance  of  courtesy? 

Who  can  ignore  the  rules  of  politeness? 

What  is  the  result  of  discourtesy? 

What  is  the  origin  of  customs  of  politeness  followed  today? 

What  teachings  of  Jesus  are  the  basis  of  true  chivalry? 

What  attention  did  Jesus  give  to  the  customs  of  politeness? 

What  is  the  cause  of  discourtesy?  To  whom  is  a  person 
courteous  ? 

What  was  Jesus'  teaching  as  to  the  worth  of  every  indi- 
vidual? What  is  its  result  in  reverence  for  personality? 

How  far  is  the  Golden  Rule  applicable  as  a  law  of 
chivalry? 

What  is  the  real  basis  of  Christian  chivalry? 

What   are    the   implications   of  Jesus'   high   regard   for   the 
individual? 

To  whom  would  Jesus'  attitude  lead  a  person  to  be 
courteous  ? 

Does  true  chivalry  allow  a  man  to  treat  any  girl  differently 
from  what  he  wishes  his  own  mother  or  sister  treated? 

What  should  be  the  attitude  of  a  woman  toward  men  of 
questionable  life  if  they  belong  to  good  family  or  reputable 
organization? 

Is  it  ever  permissible  for  a  woman  to  take  advantage  of 
her  physical  charm  to  lead  a  man  on  for  her  own  pleasure? 

What  is  unfair  about  a  double  standard  of  morality?  What 
are  its  consequences? 

What  is  your  conception  of  the  true  gentleman  and  gentle- 
woman? 

How  is  a  life  of  Christian  chivalry  possible? 

What  college  practices  cheapen  the  ideals  of  manhood  and 
womanhood?  What  are  their  effects  upon  chivalry? 

137 


[X-s]        STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

What  college  practices  break  down  the  guards  of  purity 
and  make  it  difficult  to  live  true  to  the  highest  ideals  of 
manhood  and  womanhood?  What  should  be  the  attitude 
toward  them? 

What  effect  has  the  commercializing  of  the  highest  instincts 
of  manhood  and  womanhood  upon  living  a  pure  life? 

What  is  the  relation  of  the  thought  life  to  chivalrous  action? 

What  is  wrong  with  the  viewpoint  of  a  person  who  for 
momentary  gratification  wrecks  his  own  life  or  that  of 
another  ? 

Can  a  person  of  impure  thought  and  questionable  action  live 
a  truly  great  life? 

How  can  a  person  be  a  Christian  gentleman  or  gentle- 
woman ? 

What  are  the  results  of  Christian  chivalry? 

What  are  the  possibilities  of  comradeship  between  men  and 
women  f 


138 


CHAPTER  XI 

CHRISTIAN    LOYALTY 

DAILY  READINGS 

Loyalty  arouses  the  highest  admiration;  disloyalty  nothing 
but  contempt.  We  expect  a  man  to  be  true  to  his  friends, 
to  be  loyal  to  his  cause.  Our  first  surprise  is  changed  to  scorn 
for  the  man  who  is  disloyal  to  his  college,  to  his  friends,  to 
his  home.  We  have  contempt  for  the  person  who  is  a  traitor 
to  his  country,  and  are  suspicious  of  the  one  who  speaks 
slightingly  of  his  own  home  or  allows  in  his  presence  unkind 
gossip  about  his  friends.  There  is  an  old  phrase  which  sums 
up  our  confidence  in  the  man  of  real  loyalty,  "That  is  a  good 
person  to  tie  to." 

1.  How  far  is  loyalty  essential  to  achievement?  There  is 
no  question  about  our  admiration  for  loyalty.  Is  it  essential  to 
achievement? 

Loyalty  is  devotion  to  something.  We  know  where  to  find 
the  loyal  person  provided  we  know  his  purpose  and  his 
ambition.  "The  doubtful  man,"  says  James,  "is  like  the  surge 
of  the  sea  whirled  and  swayed  by  the  wind;  that  man  need  not 
imagine  he  will  get  anything  from  God,  double-minded 
creature  that  he  is,  wavering  at  every  turn."  (James  1 : 6-8.) 

We  all  know  people  "driven  by  the  wind  and  tossed  into 
spray."  One  year  they  are  doing  one  thing;  the  next,  another. 
We  sometimes  say  they  lack  stick-to-it-ive-ness;  they  will 
never  succeed.  Unless  there  is  some  fundamental  loyalty  there 
will  be  no  guiding  hand  at  the  helm.  The  boat  without  a  pilot 
may  have  plenty  of  steam-power  and  get  nowhere.  The  life 
which  is  not  directed  by  some  great  loyalty  never  makes  the 
harbor  of  achievement. 

139 


[XI-2]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

•2.  What  is  essential  to  being  loyal?  Loyalty  has  been 
defined  as  the  willing  and  practical  and  thorough-going 
devotion  of  a  person  to  a  cause. 

Is  a  cause  necessary  to  loyalty? 

It  is  true  the  word  loyalty  cannot  stand  alone.  We  ask  at 
once,  Loyal  to  whom?  Loyal  to  what?  But  this  question 
assumes  that  a  cause  is  not  essential  to  loyalty;  we  might  be 
loyal  to  a  person.  Can  we  be  loyal  to  a  person  with  whom 
we  do  not  share  a  common  cause? 

In  the  stress  of  the  night,  in  terror  of  the  dreaded  Roman 
guards,  overwhelmed  by  the  treachery  of  one  of  their  band 
of  friends,  the  disciples  fled  from  the  garden  and  left  Jesus 
alone  to  His  capturers.  "And  they  all  left  him,  and  fled." 
(Mark  14:50.) 

Traitors  all  to  Jesus  and  His  cause!  Yet  were  they? 
Their  love  for  the  man  drew  some  of  them  to  follow  afar  off. 

And  Simon  Peter  followed  Jesus,  and  so  did  another 
disciple.  Now  that  disciple  was  known  unto  the  high 
priest,  and  entered  in  with  Jesus  into  the  court  of  the 
high  priest.-r-John  18 : 15. 

Even  after  it  seemed  as  if  death  had  taken  Jesus  from  them 
forever,  they  clung  together  for  the  cause  that  bound  them 
with  chains  that  could  not  be  severed  by  fear.  When  they 
knew  that  He  was  not  lost  they  caught  again  His  enthusiasm 
for  His  cause.  Out  of  their  apparent  disloyalty  was  born  a 
devotion  that  made  it  possible  for  them  to  face  hardship  and 
persecution  and  even  death  unflinchingly  loyal. 

How  far-reaching  was  that  new  loyalty  is  seen  in  the  lives 
of  Peter  and  John  when  they  were  arrested  and  brought 
before  the  Sanhedrin. 

Now  when  they  beheld  the  boldness  of  Peter  and 
John,  and  had  perceived  that  they  were  unlearned 
and  ignorant  men,  they  marvelled;  and  they  took 
knowledge  of  them,  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus. 
....  And  they  called  them,  and  charged  them  not 
to  speak  at  all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  But 
Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them, 

140 


CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [X1-3J 

Whether  it  is  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken 
unto  you  rather  than  unto  God,  judge  ye. — Acts  4: 
13,  18,  19. 

To  what  cause  are  we  loyal?' 

3.  What  is  a  worthy  cause ?  We  have  all  known  people 
whose  highest  loyalty  was  pledged  to  their  own  selfish 
interests.  We  have  met  others  who  have  been  loyal  to  a 
single  friend  even  at  the  expense  of  everybody  else.  High 
in  our  regard  is  placed  a  person  who  is  loyal  to  his  home; 
but  the  nation  expects  that  every  man  will  put  his  country's 
honor  and  his  country's  need — the  need  of  the  homes  of  all 
the  nation — higher  than  the  need  of  any  one  home,  even 
though  that  be  his  own.  Jesus  unhesitatingly  placed  His  cause 
as  greater  than  the  demands  of  home. 

He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me  is 
not  worthy  of  me ;  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter 
more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  doth 
not  take  his  cross  and  follow  after  me,  is  not  worthy 
of  me.— Matt.  10:37,  38. 

Long  before  Jesus'  day,  in  the  darkest  hours  of  Judah's 
history,  when  national  loyalty  was  running  high,  one  of  her 
greatest  prophets  said  of  the  expected  deliverer  that  His  cause 
would  transcend  even  the  national  cause. 

And  now  saith  Jehovah,  It  is  too  light  a  thing  that 
thoti  shouldest  be  my  servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes 
of  Jacob,  and  to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel :  I 
will  also  give  thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that 
thoti  mayest  be  my  salvation  unto  the  end  of  the 
earth. — Isaiah  49 :  6. 

In  the  lives  of  many  devoted  men  and  women  since,  the 
cause  has  taken  up  the  loyalties  of  home  and  nation  and 
gathered  them  into  a  commanding  devotion  to  the  welfare  of 
mankind.  Is  it  possible  to  be  truly  loyal  to  the  world's  need 
and  at  the  same  time  intrinsically  disloyal  to  home  or  country? 

Docs  it  make  any  difference  what  our  cause  is  so  long  as  we 
are  supremely  loyal  to  it? 

141 


[XI-4]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

4.  What  is  the  place  of  leadership  in  a  cause  ?    Wherever 
a  group  of  people  unite  in  a  common  cause  there  must  be 
leaders.     There  cannot  be  worthy  achievement  without  great 
leadership.     Jesus  felt  keenly  the  suffering  of  the  poor  and 
the  bondage  of  the  people  in  His  own  day,  and  realized  the 
hopelessness  of  their  position  without  anyone  to  lead  them. 

But  when  he  saw  the  multitudes,  he  was  moved 
with  compassion  for  them,  because  they  were  dis- 
tressed and  scattered,  as  sheep  not  having  a 
shepherd.— Matt.  9 :  36. 

Equally  true  is  it  that  without  a  great  cause  there  cannot 
be  the  greatest  leader.  Can  you  think  of  any  great  cause  that 
has  gone  forward  without  a  great  leader  or  leaders? 

Many  a  leader  has  so  thoroughly  embodied  his  cause  that 
the  mention  of  the  cause  instantly  brings  his  name  to 
memory — Islam,  the  Red  Cross,  the  Reformation.  The  men- 
tion of  the  leader  also  brings  to  mind  the  cause — Christopher 
Columbus,  George  Washington,  David  Livingstone,  Jacob 
Riis. 

What  cause  do  my  fellow-students  identify  with  me? 

5.  What  is  it  to  be  a  Christian?    What  was  there  in  Chris- 
tianity that  won  the  loyalty  of  a  Paul? 

This  man,  whose  courageous  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
Judaism  led  him  to  the  relentless  persecution  of  the  followers 
of  Jesus,  came  to  the  day  when  the  greater  loyalty  to  the 
Crucified  swept  all  lesser  loyalties  aside.  He  declared: 

For  I  determined  not  to  know  anything  among  you, 
save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified. — I  Cor.  2 :  2. 

Jesus  was  the  only  leader  who  could  fully  satisfy  a  Paul. 
He  committed  himself  so  thoroughly  to  the  cause  of  Jesus 
that  he  could  say: 

For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel :  for  it  is  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that 
believeth;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek. — 
Romans  1 : 16. 

142 


CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [XI-6] 

The  cause  of  Christ  was  the  only  cause  great  enough  to 
satisfy  this  man  whose  interests  leaped  beyond  the  confines  of 
nation  and  race  and  creed,  to  the  one  universal  cause  of  all 
mankind. 

Have  our  lives  been  thrilled  by  the  greatness  of  this  Leader 
and  this  Cause  to  which  Paul  gave  his  life?  Are  we  ready 
to  follow  Him? 

6.  What  is  the  challenge  of  loyalty?  Every  cause  is  judged, 
not  by  what  its  adherents  claim  for  it,  but  by  the  extent  to 
which  its  ideals  are  embodied  in  their  lives.  Paul  was  keenly 
aware  of  this  fact.  He  called  out  the  best  in  the  Corinthian 
church  when  he  put  up  to  them  the  responsibility  of  their 
cause. 

....  Ye  are  an  epistle  of  Christ,  ministered  by  us, 
written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living 
God;  not  in  tables  of  stone,  but  in  tables  that  are 
hearts  of  flesh.— II  Cor.  3 :  3. 

The  test  in  any  religion  is  to  be  found,  not  in  its  great 
books,  but  in  the  "letter  of  recommendation"  written  in  the 
lives  of  those  who  claim  to  follow  its  teachings.  The  Hindu 
Vedas  have  many  expressions  of  lofty  ideal;  and  captivated 
by  the  newness  and  beauty  of  these  ancient  books,  there  have 
been  people  in  this  country  who  have  thought  that  Hinduism 
contained  more  beautiful  ideals  than  Christianity.  The 
demoralizing  character  of  temple  worship,  the  immoral  lives 
of  the  priests,  the  hopelessness  on  the  faces  of  the  men  and 
women,  striving  to  win  the  favor  of  their  gods — all  these  give 
evidence  of  how  far  the  ideals  of  Hinduism  have  failed  to 
find  expression  in  the  lives  of  the  people  of  India. 

How  many  of  us  would  be  willing  to  have  Christianity 
judged  by  our  lives ?  "Only  let  the  lives  you  live  be  worthy  of 
the  Good  News  of  the  Christ,  in  order  that,  whether  I  come 
and  see  you  or,  being  absent,  only  hear  of  you,  I  may  know  that 
you  are  standing  fast  in  one  spirit  and  with  one  mind,  fighting 
shoulder  to  shoulder  for  the  faith  of  the  Good  News.  Never 
for  a  moment  quail  before  your  antagonists.  Your  fearless- 

143 


[XI-7]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

ness  will  be  to  them  a  sure  token  of  impending  destruction, 
but  to  you  it  will  be  a  sure  token  of  your  salvation — a  token 
coming  from  God.  For  you  have  had  the  privilege  granted  to 
you  on  behalf  of  Christ — not  only  to  believe  in  Him,  but  also 
to  suffer  on  His  behalf;  maintaining,  as  you  do,  the  same  kind 
of  conflict  that  you  once  saw  in  me  and  which  you  still  hear 
that  I  am  engaged  in."  (Philippians  1 : 27-30.) 

7.  What  is  the  secret  of  loyalty?  Real  and  enduring  loyalty 
is  impossible  without  complete  commitment  to  the  cause,  with- 
out deep  confidence  in  its  leader,  and  without  the  joyous 
comradeship  of  other  followers. 

A  man  who  has  given  his  half-hearted  allegiance  can  never 
stand  the  test  of  misunderstanding  or  opposition.  No  man 
is  really  committed  to  a  cause  who  does  not  stand  by  it  and 
work  for  it  faithfully. 

What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  if  a  man  say  he 
hath  faith,  but  have  not  works?  can  that  faith  save 
him?  If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked  and  in  lack  of 
daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say  unto  them,  Go  in  peace, 
be  ye  warmed  and  filled;  and  yet  ye  give  them  not 
the  things  needful  to  the  body;  what  doth  it  profit? 
Even  so  faith,  if  it  have  not  works,  is  dead  in  itself. 
Yea,  a  man  will  say,  Thou  hast  faith,  and  I  have 
works :  show  me  thy  faith  apart  from  thy  works,  and 
I  by  my  works  will  show  thee  my  faith. — James  2: 
14-18. 

Paul  knew  so  completely  the  friendship  with  his  Leader 
that  he  could  say: 

It  is  no  longer  I  that  live,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me: 
and  that  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  in 
faith,  the  faith  which  is  in  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved 
me,  and  gave  himself  up  for  me. — Galatians  2 :  20. 

The  greatest  prayer  that  Paul  could  pray  for  his  friends 
was  to  ask  that  this  loyal  friendship  with  Christ  should  bring 
them  into  the  great  family  of  all  Christ's  followers. 

144 


CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [XI-s] 

"For  this  reason,  on  bended  knee  I  beseech  the  Father, 
from  whom  the  whole  family  in  Heaven  and  on  earth  derives 
its  name,  to  grant  you — in  accordance  with  the  wealth  of  His 
glorious  perfections — to  be  strengthened  by  His  Spirit  with 
power  penetrating  to  your  inmost  being.  I  pray  that  Christ 
may  make  His  home  in  your  hearts  through  your  faith;  so 
that  having  your  roots  deep  and  your  foundations  strong,  in 
love,  you  may  become  mighty  to  grasp  the  idea,  as  it  is  grasped 
by  all  God's  people,  of  the  breadth  and  length,  the  height  and 
depth — yes,  to  attain  to  a  knowledge  of  the  knowledge-sur- 
passing love  of  Christ,  so  that  you  may  be  made  complete  in 
accordance  with  God's  own  standard  of  completeness." 
(Ephesians  3:14-19.) 


STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

"Loyalty  means  the  willing  and  practical  and  thorough- 
going devotion  of  a  person  to  a  cause.  The  cause  of  a  loyal 
person  is  something  larger  than  his  private  self,  greater  than 
he  is.  A  cause  is  social  in  its  nature,  and  capable  of  linking 
into  one  the  wills  of  various  individuals. 

"In  the  training  of  loyalty  two  things  are  necessary:  first, 
a  leader  or  a  group  of  leaders,  eager,  enthusiastic,  convinced ; 
and  second,  a  cause  that  can  be  idealized  so  that  when  the 
leaders  talk  of.it  it  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  supernatural  being 
in  one  sense  impersonal,  but  in  another  sense  capable  of  being 
personified  and  exalted.  Personal  leaders  and  the  super- 
human cause  are  inseparable  in  the  training  of  loyalty.  The 
cause  needs  to  become  incarnate,  as  it  were,  in  the  persons 
of  the  leaders;  but  the  leaders  get  their  personal  influence 
through  the  fact  that  they  seem  to  be  incarnations  of  the 
cause. 

"In  so  far  as  we  have  indeed  found  some  cause,  far 
larger  than  our  individual  selves,  to  which  we  are  fully  ready 
to  be  loyal,  this  very  cause  serves  to  give  a  unity  to  our  lives. 

"Our  ideal  comes  to  us  from  our  cause.     Because  of  this 

145 


[XI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

vastness  of  our  ideal,  because  that  to  which  we  are  loyal  is 
so  much  greater  than  we  ever  become,  our  ideal  unifies  our 
life.  And  each  act  of  this  life  has  to  be  judged,  estimated, 
determined,  as  to  its  moral  value,  in  terms  of  the  ideal.  So 
the  plan  or  ideal  of  life  comes  to  stand  over  against  our 
actual  life  as  a  general  authority  by  which  each  deed  is  to 
be  tested. 

"Whenever  a  cause  so  arouses  our  interest  that  it  appears 
to  us  wrorthy  to  be  served  with  all  our  might,  with  all  our 
soul,  with  all  our  strength,  then  this  cause  awakens  in  us  the 
spirit  of  loyalty.  If  we  act  out  this  spirit,  then  we  become 
in  fact  loyal,  for  loyalty  is  never  mere  emotion.  The  devotion 
is  a  practical  one.  Adoration  and  affection  may  go  with 
loyalty,  but  can  never  alone  constitute  loyalty.  The  loyal 
man  serves,  that  is,  he  does  not  merely  follow  his  own 
impulses,  but  looks  to  his  cause  for  guidance.  This  cause 
tells  him  what  to  do,  and  he  does  it.  Loyalty  is  especially 
perfected  through  great  strains,  labors  and  sacrifices  in  the 
service  of  the  cause.  The  loyal  man's  devotion  is  entire; 
he  is  ready  to  live  or  die  as  the  cause  directs."  (Condensed 
from  Royce's  "Philosophy  of  Loyalty.") 

Where  shall  we  find  such  loyalty  as  this?  Where  shall  we 
find  a  cause  to  which  we  shall  be  willing  to  give  ourselves  so 
unreservedly  f 

The  loyalty  of  Paul 

Paul  stands  out  on  the  pages  of  the  New  Testament  as  the 
complete  embodiment  of  loyalty.  What  was  Paul's  cause? 
Who  was  Paul's  leader? 

There  had  been  many  lesser  loyalties  in  the  life  of  this 
resident  of  Tarsus.  He  had  thrilled  with  pride  at  being  a 
citizen  of  this  great  university  city.  The  freedom  that  was 
his  as  Roman-born  had  been  his  glory.  He  had  known  the 
loyalty  of  men  educated  in  the  greatest  school  of  his  day  at 
the  feet  of  Gamaliel  in  Jerusalem.  He  was  a  Pharisee,  and 
he  had  sought  to  live  as  the  strictest  of  the  sect.  In  his  zeal 

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CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [XI-s] 

for  the  traditions  of  his  fathers,  he  surpassed  many  men  of 
his  own  age.  In  his  insistence  that  all  men  should  conform 
to  the  Mosaic  law,  he  would  brook  no  question  of  the 
authority  of  Moses,  though  it  meant  the  persecuting  of  men 
and  women,  even  unto  death. 

Yet  through  all  his  devotion  to  these  lesser  loyalties,  there 
remained  a  restless  weariness.  Then  on  the  road  to  Damascus 
there  burst  upon  his  vision  a  great  light.  We  marvel  at  the 
courage  of  Paul  as  he  committed  himself  unreservedly  to  the 
Great  Leader  and  His  Cause.  "What  wilt  Thou  have  me  do, 
Lord?"  he  cried.  There,  as  never  before,  he  found  the  basis 
of  loyalty — a  Leader  worthy  of  his  undying  devotion,  a  Cause 
that  commanded  his  every  ability  and  every  energy  in  self- 
sacrificing  achievement.  All  lesser  loyalties  were  swallowed 
up  in  the  greatness  of  this  New  Cause. 

Years  after,  when  his  new  faith  had  known  the  test  of 
persecution,  he  wrote  to  his  friends  at  Philippi :  "If  anyone 
else  claims  a  right  to  trust  in  outward  ceremonies,  far  more 
may  I :  circumcised,  as  I  was,  on  the  eighth  day,  a  member  of 
the  race  of  Israel  and  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  a  Hebrew 
sprung  from  Hebrews;  as  to  the  Law,  a  Pharisee;  as  to  zeal, 
a  persecutor  of  the  Church;  as  to  the  righteousness  which 
comes  through  Law,  blameless.  Yet  all  that  was  gain  to  me — 
for  Christ's  sake  I  have  reckoned  it  loss.  Nay,  I  even  reckon 
all  things  as  pure  loss  because  of  the  priceless  privilege  of 
knowing  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.  And  for  His  sake  I  have 
suffered  the  loss  of  everything,  and  reckon  it  all  as  mere 
refuse,  in  order  that  I  may  win  Christ  and  be  found  in  union 
with  Him."  (Philippians  3:5-8.) 

Paul  found  in  Jesus  a  Leader  to  whom  he  could  pledge  a 
loyalty  which  enabled  him  to  say,  "I  determined  to  know 
nothing  airiong  you  save  Jesus  and  him  Crucified" 

But  Christianity  meant  more  to  Paul  than  a  great  Leader. 
It  meant  the  one  Cause  commanding  his  every  energy,  big 
enough  to  encircle  the  world.  "I  am  already  under  obliga- 
tions alike  to  Greek-speaking  races  and  to  others,  to  cultured 
and  to  uncultured  people For  I  am  not  ashamed  of 

147 


[XI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

the  Good  News.  It  is  God's  power  which  is  at  work  for  the 
salvation  of  every  one  who  believes — the  Jew  first,  and  then 
the  Gentile."  (Romans  1 :  14,  16.)  "In  that  new  creation 
there  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision  nor  uncircum- 
cision,  barbarian,  Scythian,  slave  nor  freeman,  but  Christ  is 
everything  and  is  in  all  of  us."  (Colossians  3:  11.) 

Paul  found  in  Christianity  a  cause  which  gave  play  for  the 
best  of  his  lesser  loyalties  and  gave  a  single  commanding 
purpose  to  his  life. 

The  secret  of  Paul's  loyalty 

We  sometimes  puzzle  ourselves  as  to  the  meaning  of  the 
words  of  Paul: 

I  have  been  crucified  with  Christ;  and  it  is  no 
longer  I  that  live,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me :  and  that 
life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  in  faith,  the 
faith  which  is  in  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and 
gave  himself  up  for  me. — Galatians  2:20. 

"Union  with  Christ,  living  in  Christ" — these  are  often  terms 
of  empty  meaning  because  we  have  never  translated  them 
into  the  language  of  our  own  day.  The  significance  of  these 
words  -comes  to  us  not  so  much  from  definition,  as  from 
seeing  them  embodied  in  actual  living.  If  we  do  not  know 
what  it  meant  to  Paul  to  have  Christ  live  in  him,  we  may 
understand  it  as  we  see  what  Paul  suffered  for  the  sake  of 
Jesus  and  the  Cause  to  which  he  had  given  his  life. 

"Five  times  have  I  got  forty  lashes  (all  but  one)  from  the 
Jews,  three  times  I  have  been  beaten  by  the  Romans,  once 
pelted  with  stones,  three  times  shipwrecked,  adrift  at  sea 
for  a  whole  night  and  day;  I  have  been  often  on  my  travels, 
I  have  been  in  danger  from  rivers  and  robbers,  in  danger  from 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  through  dangers  of  town  and  of  desert, 
through  dangers  on  the  sea,  through  dangers  among  false 
brothers — through  labor  and  hardship,  through  many  a  sleep- 
less night,  through  hunger  and  thirst,  starving  many  a  time, 
cold  and  ill-clad,  and  all  the  rest  of  it.  And  then  there  is  the 

148 


CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [XI-s] 

pressing  business  of  each  day,  the  care  of  all  the  churches." 
(II  Corinthians  11:24-28.) 

As  we  read,  the  meaning  comes  to  us  more  clearly.  Every- 
one of  us  has  known  some  friend  for  whom  he  would  make 
the  greatest  sacrifice  and  count  it  as  nothing  because  of  the 
joy  of  that  friend's  understanding  sympathy.  Everyone  of 
us  has  gone  on  to  greater  achievements  than  we  could  ever 
have  known  alone,  because  we  would  worthily  represent  our 
friend  until  it  seemed  the  deed  we  did  was  not  ours,  but  the 
very  deed  of  our  friend.  Such  a  friend  was  Christ  to  Paul. 
With  unfaltering  loyalty  he  looked  into  the  face  of  his  Friend 
when  the  long  years  of  his  work  drew  to  a  close.  "That 
indeed  is  the  reason  why  I  suffer  as  I  do.  But  I  am  not 
ashamed,  for  I  know  in  whom  my  trust  reposes,  and  I  am 
confident  that  He  has  it  in  His  power  to  keep  what  I  have 
entrusted  to  Him  safe  until  that  day."  (II  Timothy  1 :  12.) 

Just  as  loyalty  to  a  great  friend  makes  possible  achieve- 
ments greater  than  could  otherwise  come  because  the  very 
spirit  of  the  loyalty  of  our  friend  has  taken  possession  of  us, 
so  through  loyalty  to  Jesus  Christ  His  spirit  takes  hold  of  our 
very  lives,  and  in  His  friendship  we  achieve  as  would  be 
otherwise  impossible. 

The  rewards  of  loyalty 

The  fullest  joy  in  a  great  cause  comes  to  those  who  do  not 
tread  the  path  alone,  but  who  know  the  friendship  of  their 
leader,  and  the  friendship  of  many  other  folk  with  whom  they 
share  willing,  practical,  and  thorough-going  devotion  to  the 
cause  which  has  challenged  all  their  best.  The  greatness  of 
his  loyalty  won  for  Paul  many  such  friends;  and  the  joy  of 
his  life  was  realized  in  their  loyal  devotion. 

There  was  no  greater  reward  he  could  wish  for  his  friends 
than  that  they  might  with  all  God's  people  indeed  share  in 
friendship  with  Christ.  "I  pray  that  Christ  may  make  His 
home  in  your  hearts  through  your  faith;  so  that  having 
your  roots  deep  and  your  foundations  strong,  in  love,  you  may 

149 


[XI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

become  mighty  to  grasp  the  idea,  as  it  is  grasped  by  all  God's 
people,  of  the  breadth  and  length,  the  height  and  depth — 
yes,  to  attain  to  a  knowledge  of  the  knowledge-surpassing  love 
of  Christ."  (Ephesians  3:  17-19.) 

The  man  who  knew  the  "knowledge-surpassing  love  of 
Christ"  and  remained  faithful  through  all  his  days,  could 
write  in  triumph  as  he  faced  the  wrath  of  Rome!  "I  for  my 
part  am  like  a  drink-offering  which  is  already  being  poured 
out;  and  the  time  for  my  departure  is  now  close  at  hand. 
I  have  gone  through  the  glorious  contest;  I  have  run  the 
race;  I  have  guarded  the  faith.  From  this  time  onward  there 
is  reserved  for  me  the  crown  of  righteousness  which  the  Lord, 
the  righteous  Judge,  will  award  to  me  on  that  day,  and  not 
only  to  me,  but  also  to  all  who  love  the  thought  of  His 
Appearing."  (II  Timothy  4:6-8.) 

Christian  loyalty 

Christianity,  of  all  causes,  is  incarnate  in  the  person  of  its 
founder,  Jesus  Christ.  Other  religions  have  had  great 
founders,  but  they  have  never  brought  a  satisfactory  revela- 
tion of  God.  The  followers  have  realized  the  presence  of  the 
supernatural;  but  in  their  attempts  to  personalize  His  deity, 
they  have  made  images;  in  their  effort  to  show  Him  as 
powerful  they  have  multiplied  gods  to  the  millions;  in  their 
striving  to  show  His  wonderful  character  they  have  frequently 
made  their  gods  grotesque,  with  many  hands  and  many  heads. 

The  tragedy  of  most  non-Christian  religions  has  been 
the  baffled  groping  of  men,  striving  to  make  God  real  and 
personal.  "While  Paul  was  waiting  in  Athens,  his  spirit  was 
stirred  within  him  when  he  noticed  that  the  city  was  full  of 
idols."  Standing  in  the  center  of  the  Areopagus,  where  he 
could  see  the  temples  on  every  side,  he  said :  "Men  of  Athens, 
I  perceive  that  you  are  in  every  respect  remarkably  religious. 
For  as  I  passed  along  and  observed  the  things  you  worship, 
I  found  also  an  altar  bearing  the  inscription,  To  an  Unknown 
God/  The  Being,  therefore,  whom  you,  without  knowing 

150 


CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [XI-s] 

Him,  revere,  Him  I  now  proclaim  to  you.  God  who  made 
the  universe  and  everything  in  it  ....  caused  to  spring  from 
one  forefather  people  of  every  race  ....  that  they  might 
seek  God,  if  perhaps  they  could  grope  for  Him  and  find  Him. 
Yes,  though  He  is  not  far  from  any  one  of  us.  For  it  is  in 
closest  union  with  Him  that  we  live  and  move  and  have  our 
being."  (Compare  Acts  17:  16-28.) 

Not  even  the  great  Hebrew  prophets,  close  as  was  their 
touch  with  God,  ever  really  brought  to  the  people  the  fullness 
of  the  revelation  of  the  Father.  Some  of  them  thought  that 
God  was  the  God  of  all  nations;  but  most  of  them  clung 
tenaciously  to  the  idea  that  other  peoples  could  find  Him  only 
through  the  doorway  of  Israel:  that  He  was  the  Father,  and 
the  Father  of  all  people,  was  never  fully  understood  until 
Jesus  Christ  walked  among  men. 

Certain  of  the  greatest  prophets  had  tried  to  make  the 
people  think  of  God  as  real ;  but  more  and  more  as  they  con- 
sidered His  greatness  and  majesty  and  might  and  glory,  He 
became  to  them  an  "absentee  Lord,"  living  in  some  "sky 
parlor  of  the  universe"  and  far  removed  from  the  call  of 
human  need.  But  Jesus  made  God  so  real  that  we  can  feel 
toward  Him  as  toward  a  father,  that  we  can  think  of  Him  as 
of  a  friend.  Jesus  made  us  understand  that  the  influence  of 
God  is  as  real  as  that  of  friend  upon  friend,  but  as  great  as 
the  Eternal. 

Christianity,  more  than  any  other  cause,  gives  a  unifying 
purpose  to  the  life  which  makes  a  place  for  every  worthy 
action.  There  are  many  conflicting  causes  in  the  world;  but 
the  enterprise  of  Jesus  absorbs  all  lesser  loyalties.  It  becomes 
the  conscience,  the  ideal  by  which  action  is  tested.  Instead  of 
being  self-centered,  the  man  becomes  Christ-centered.  Instead 
of  following  personal  pleasure  and  profit,  he  gives  himself 
in  loyalty  to  the  enterprise  of  God  in  the  world. 

Many  an  editor  thinks  of  his  paper  only  as  a  medium  for 
selling  the  people  the  kind  of  news  they  want;  but  the 
Christian  uses  his  paper  as  the  means  of  serving  the  cause  of 
Christian  public  opinion, 

151 


[XI-s]      STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

Many  a  lawyer  thinks  of  the  bar  only  because  of  the  fees 
which  he  may  earn;  but  the  Christian  uses  the  law  to  serve 
the  cause  of  justice  and  help  bring  in  Jesus'  Kingdom  of 
righteousness  on  earth. 

Many  a  student  goes  to  college  in  order  that  later  he  may 
win  position  or  fame;  but  the  Christian  is  preparing  to  take 
his  part  in  the  great  world  enterprise  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

"What  is  your  business,"  a  prominent  social  worker  asked 
a  foreigner.  "My  business  is  mending  shoes,"  he  replied, 
"but  my  calling  is  an  'anarchist  propagandist/  "  Paul's  busi- 
ness was  that  of  a  tentmaker;  his  calling  was  the  high  calling 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  is  the  importance  of  loyalty? 

Why  do  we  admire  loyalty? 

If  loyalty  were  eliminated,  what  changes  would  it  make  in 
business?  in  the  life  of  the  home?  in  the  life  of  the  nation? 
How  far  is  loyalty  essential  to  achievement? 
What  place  has  loyalty  in  the  life  of  the  college? 

What  are  the  essentials  of  loyalty? 

What  is  loyalty? 

What  are  the  characteristics  of  a  worthy  cause?  How  far 
does  the  character  of  our  cause  determine  the  greatness  of 
our  achievement? 

What  is  the  relation  of  a  person's  ideal  to  his  cause? 

Has  a  cause  ever  succeeded  without  leaders?  Why  are 
they  necessary?  What  are  the  characteristics  of  a  worthy 
leader? 

What  is  the  relative  importance  of  a  cause  and  a  leader  in 
the  development  of  loyalty?  To  what  extent  can  we  be 
really  loyal  to  a  person  who  has  no  worthy  cause? 

What  is  the  test  of  a  person's  loyalty? 

What  is  the  secret  of  loyalty  to  a  cause? 
152 


CHRISTIAN  LOYALTY  [XI-s] 

What  is  Christian  loyalty? 

What  are  the  characteristics  of  the  cause  of  Christianity 
which  won  the  allegiance  of  a  Paul?  What  are  the  character- 
istics of  the  Leader  of  Christianity  that  won  his  devotion? 
To  what  extent  are  these  characteristics  such  as  command 
devotion  and  loyalty  today? 

What  were  the  characteristics  of  the  Christian  loyalty  of 
Paul? 

In  what  respects  does  Christian  loyalty  differ  from  that  of 
non-Christian  religions?  from  the  loyalty  of  the  Old 
Testament? 

What  relation  to  Christian  loyalty  has  loyalty  to  one's 
business  or  profession?  loyalty  to  college?  loyalty  to  other 
worthy  causes? 

How  is  Christian  loyalty  possible?  What  was  Paul's  secret? 
What  characteristics  of  a  loyal  friendship  are  found  in 
Christian  loyalty? 

What  are  the  rewards  of  Christian  loyalty? 

What  opportunities  are  there  in  our  college  for  the  expression 
of  Christian  loyalty? 


153 


CHAPTER  XII 

STUDENT     INITIATIVE  JiND  '  THE 
COLLEGE    IDEAL 

DAILY  READINGS 

The  college,  like  an  individual,  has  characteristics  of  its 
own;  a  character  by  which  it  may  be  judged.  Like  any 
individual,  this  character  is  moulded  by  the  ideal  of  the 
college  itself,  and  this  ideal  may  change  from  time  to  time. 
The  ideal  of  the  founders  of  the  college  is  set  forth  in  the 
charter  and  but  very  seldom  referred  to.  The  ideal  of  the 
present  Board  of  Trustees  and  faculty  is  stated  in  the 
catalogue. 

1.  By  whom  is  the  college  ideal  really  determined?  Many 
factors  help  to  determine  the  ideal  of  the  college — the  teaching 
in  the  classroom,  the  personal  influence  of  professors,  the 
impact  of  churches  and  other  organizations  in  the  town,  the 
traditions  of  the  institution  itself.  In  many  a  college  you 
can  conjure  with  the  sterling  Christian  character  of  some 
former  president  or  professor,  long  since  dead,  whose  influ- 
ence is  still  a  benediction. 

But  in  the  last  analysis  students  make  up  the  college;  the 
present  realization  of  the  college  ideal  is  in  their  hands. 
College  ideals  become  actual  only  to  the  extent  that  they  are 
embodied  in  the  life  of  the  student  body. 

Paul  recognized  how  any  cause  or  institution  is  thus  repre- 
sented by  its  members.  When  his  character  and  mission 
were  attacked,  he  appealed  as  his  justification  to  the  people 
who  had  joined  the  church  he  established: 

154 


STUDENT  INITIATIVE  [XII-2] 

"Do  we  need,  as  some  do,  letters  of  recommendation  to  you 
or  from  you?  Our  letter  of  recommendation  is  yourselves — • 
a  letter  written  on  our  hearts  and  everywhere  known  and 
read.  For  all  can  see  that  you  are  a  letter  of  Christ  entrusted 
to  our  care,  and  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of 
the  ever-living  God — and  not  on  tablets  of  stone,  but  on 
human  hearts  as  tablets."  (II  Cor.  3: 1-3.) 

How  far  is  the  life  of  the  present  student  body  carrying 
out  the  ideal  of  our  college? 

2.  How  is  the  college  ideal  expressed?  The  ideal  of  the 
corporate  life  of  any  community  is  expressed  in  public 
opinion.  We  all  recognize  the  power  of  such  public  opinion. 
The  complex  interests  and  the  varied  forms  of  life  in  the 
average  town  make  it  more  difficult  to  secure  any  united 
public  opinion  for  the  community;  but  in  most  colleges  the 
common  work  and  the  social  pressure  of  the  close  community 
life  creates  a  corporate  life  in  which  public  opinion  is  very 
potent. 

The  power  and  the  influence  of  a  common  purpose  and 
ideal  was  well  illustrated  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity. 

And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of 
one  heart  and  soul :  and  not  one  of  them  said  that 
aught  of  the  things  which  he  possessed  was  his  own; 
but  they  had  all  things  common.  And  with  great 
power  gave  the  apostles  their  witness  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Lord  Jesus :  and  great  grace  was  upon 
them  all.  For  neither  was  there  among  them  any 
that  lacked :  for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  land 
or  houses  sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices  of  the 
things  that  were  sold,  and  laid  them  at  the  apostles' 
feet:  and  distribution  was  made  unto  each,  according 
as  any  one  had  need.  And  Joseph,  who  by  the  apostles 
was  surnamed  Barnabas  (which  is,  being  interpreted, 
Son  of  exhortation),  a  Levite,  a  man  of  Cyprus  by 
race,  having  a  field,  sold  it,  and  brought  the  money 
and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet. — Acts  4 :  32-37. 

The  "community  of  goods"  grew  out  of  the  unanimity  of 
purpose  and  conviction  of  this  early  community. 

155 


[XII-3]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

In  most  colleges  the  united  purpose  and  conviction,  while 
manifesting  itself  very  differently  from  this  early  Christian 
body,  is  also  felt.  The  patriotism  is  expressed  in  that 
indefinable,  but  well-recognized  "college  spirit";  its  ideals 
find  embodiment  in  the  traditions  and  customs;  there  is  a 
public  opinion  in  every  college  which  must  be  reckoned  with. 
This  will  of  the  student  body — shall  we  call  it  the  good  will?— • 
is  the  expression  of  the  college  ideal. 

What  does  the  public  opinion  in  our  college  show  to  be  the 
ideal  of  the  student  body? 

3.  What  makes  possible  an  ideal  for  all  the  college?  The 
college  has  various  organizations  and  activities  which  express 
forms  of  the  community  life  and  represent  sections  of  the 
student  body.  The  athletic  association  rallies  the  athletic 
interests;  the  college  paper  helps  mould  community  opinion; 
and  there  are  many  other  organizations. 

If  the  interests  of  any  one  of  these  organizations  or 
activities  bulks  larger  in  the  minds  of  its  members  than  the 
interests  of  the  college  as  a  whole,  then  the  college  is  a  col- 
lection of  organizations  and  not  a  corporate  body  with  a 
common  purpose.  There  are  colleges  so  divided  into  cliques 
that  loyalty  to  the  college  is  lost.  There  are  colleges  so 
engrossed  in  the  varied  interests  of  a  city  that  even  the  college 
spirit  is  difficult  to  maintain. 

In  writing  to  a  powerful  and  prosperous  church,  where 
there  was  a  tendency  to  pull  apart,  Paul  gives  a  striking 
illustration  of  the  disaster  of  disunion. 

For  the  body  is  not  one  member,  but  many.  If  the 
foot  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the  hand,  I  am  not 
of  the  body;  it  is  not  therefore  not  of  the  body.  And 
if  the  ear  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the  eye,  I  am 
not  of  the  body;  it  is  not  therefore  not  of  the  body. 
If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  were  the 
hearing?  If  the  whole  were  hearing,  where  were 
the  smelling?  But  now  hath  God  set  the  members 
each  one  of  them  in  the  body,  even  as  it  pleased  him. 
And  if  they  were  all  one  member,  where  were  the 

156 


STUDENT  INITIATIVE  [XII-4] 

body?  But  now  they  are  many  members,  but  one 
body.  And  the  eye  cannot«say  to  the  hand,  I  have  no 
need  of  thee :  or  again  the  head  to  the  feet,  I  have  no 
need  of  you.  Nay,  much  rather,  those  members  of 
the  body  which  seem  to  be  more  feeble  are  necessary : 
and  those  parts  of  the  body,  which  we  think  to  be  less 
honorable,  upon  these  we  bestow  more  abundant 
honor;  and  our  uncomely  parts  have  more  abundant 
comeliness;  whereas  our  comely  parts  have  no  need: 
but  God  tempered  the  body  together,  giving  more 
abundant  honor  to  that  part  which  lacked;  that  there 
should  be  no  schism  in  the  body;  but  that  the  mem- 
bers should  have  the  same  care  one  for  another.  And 
whether  one  member  suffereth,  all  the  members  suffer 
with  it;  or  one  member  is  honored,  all  the  members 
rejoice  with  it.— I  Cor.  12:  14-26. 

4.  What  is  the  relation  of  student  initiative  to  the  college 
ideal?  To  what  extent  does  student  action  perpetuate  or 
modify  the  character  of  the  college? 

College  customs  and  traditions  are  rightly  regarded  with 
respect  because  in  general  they  are  the  expression  of  the 
college  ideals  of  the  past.  Because  of  the  character  of  its 
citizens  and  the  periodic  changes  of  its  population,  the 
customs  of  the  college  community  are  open  to  constant  review 
and  criticism.  Those  courageous  spirits  who  have  under- 
taken to  elevate  the  traditions  in  an  institution  have  found 
less  tenacious  opposition  than  they  would  have  found  had 
they  attempted  to  do  the  same  thing  in  some  settled  com- 
munity. Every  person  acquainted  with  colleges  knows  some 
example  of  a  complete  transformation  of  the  college  ideal 
within  a  student  generation. 

We  are  all  familiar  with  the  influence  of  public  opinion  on 
law  enforcement.  Good  laws  become  inoperative  without 
the  support  of  the  people.  So  in  the  college  seemingly 
impossible  things  are  accomplished  when  supported  by  the 
force  of  student  initiative. 

Is  this  true  of  our  college? 

157 


[XII-5]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

5.  What  is  the  relation  of  student  initiative  to  the  Christian 
life  of  the  college?  Public  opinion  anywhere  may  be  Chris- 
tian or  non-Christian.  Quite  as  powerful  as  that  very  indefi- 
nite but  real  "college  spirit"  can  be  the  Christian  spirit  in 
a  college.  Is  it  a  small  asset  to  any  college  that  it  is  domi- 
nated by  a  disposition  to  respect  religion  and  to  give  high 
appreciation  to  such  personal  qualities  as  purity,  honor,  and 
justice.  Is  not  this  the  atmosphere  in  which  to  train  students 
for  the  service  of  the  nation? 

Where  the  college  spirit  is  antagonistic  to  religion  the  most 
earnest  efforts  for  righteousness  and  honor  have  frequently 
failed. 

Some  colleges  have  taken  for  their  goal,  not  here  and  there 
a  student  won  to  the  Christian  life,  but  an  entire  college 
dominated  by  Christian  ideals. 

/,$•  this  an  impossible  achievement? 

Christianity  from  the  early  days  showed  its  power  to 
create  an  atmosphere  in  which  fraud  and  superstition 
languished : 

"Many  also  of  those  who  believed  came  confessing  without 
reserve  what  their  conduct  had  been,  and  not  a  few  of  those 
who  had  practised  magical  arts  brought  their  books  together 
and  burnt  them  in  the  presence  of  all.  The  total  value  was 
reckoned  and  found  to  be  50,000  silver  coins.  Thus  mightily 
did  the  Lord's  Message  spread  and  triumph!  ....  Now 
just  at  that  time  there  arose  no  small  commotion  about  the 
new  faith.  There  was  a  certain  Demetrius,  a  silversmith, 
who  made  miniature  silver  sanctuaries  of  Diana,  a  business 
which  brought  great  gain  to  the  mechanics  in  his  employ. 
He  called  his  workmen  together,  and  others  who  were  engaged 
in  similar  trades,  and  said  to  them,  'You  men  well  know 
that  our  prosperity  depends  on  this  business  of  ours ;  and  you 
see  and  hear  that,  not  in  Ephesus  only  but  throughout  almost 
the  whole  province  of  Asia,  this  fellow  Paul  has  led  away  a 
vast  number  of  people  by  inducing  them  to  believe  that  they 
are  not  gods  at  all  that  are  made  by  men's  hands.  There 

158 


STUDENT  INITIATIVE  [XII-6] 

is  danger,,  therefore  ....  that  this  our  trade  will  become  of 
no  account.'  "     (Acts  19 :  18-20,  23-27.) 
Has  it  the  same  power  today  f 

6.  To  what  extent  is  some  organised  form  of  corporate 
life  necessary  to  the  realization  of  the  college  ideal?  Organi- 
zation is  always  necessary  for  any  united  expression  of  public 
opinion.  Public  opinion  may  be  said  to  exist  only  where 
there  is  an  opportunity  for  expression.  Indeed,  the  term 
"public-  opinion"  implies  united  interest  and  action.  We  all 
know  the  effectiveness  of  student  mass  meetings  in  stimulating 
a  loyal  college  spirit.  Some  colleges,  uninterested  in  the 
religious  value  of  a  chapel  service,  have  nevertheless  estab- 
lished a  weekly  or  daily  assembly  for  the  sake  of  college 
unity.  Paul  emphasized  the  need  of  such  unity  of  action  in  his 
letter  to  the  Ephesian  Christians. 

"And  He  Himself  appointed  some  to  be  Apostles,  some  to  be 
Prophets,  some  to  be  evangelists,  some  to  be  pastors  and 
teachers,  in  order  fully  to  equip  His  people  for  the  work  of 
serving — for  the  building  up  of  Christ's  body — till  we  all  of 
us  arrive  at  oneness  in  faith  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  and  at  mature  manhood  and  the  stature  of  full-grown 
men  in  Christ.  So  we  shall  no  longer  be  babes,  nor  shall  we 
resemble  mariners  tossed  on  the  waves  and  carried  about 
with  every  changing  wind  of  doctrine  according  to  men's 
cleverness  and  unscrupulous  cunning,  making  use  of  every 
shifting  device  to  mislead.  But  we  shall  lovingly  hold  to 
the  truth,  and  shall  in  all  respects  grow  up  into  union  with  Him 
who  is  our  Head,  even  Christ.  Dependent  on  Him,  the  whole 
body — its  various  parts  closely  fitting  and  firmly  adhering 
to  one  another — grows  by  the  aid  of  every  contributory  link, 
with  power  proportioned  to  the  need  of  each  individual  part, 
so  as  to  build  itself  up  in  a  spirit  of  love."  (Ephesians 
4:11-16.) 

Students  in  various  colleges  have  organized  themselves, 
either  through  student  self -government  or  in  less  formal  waysf 

159 


[XII-7]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

to  make  effective  the  general  will  of  the  student  body.  Chris- 
tian students  have  banded  themselves  together  with  a  common 
purpose,  to  represent  the  Christian  life  of  the  college  and  to 
make  its  spirit  Christian. 

7.  What  is  the  responsibility  of  each  student  to  the  college? 
As  never  before  in  his  life,  a  college  student  is  a  citizen,  a 
member  of  a  college  community,  where  he  has  the  oppor- 
tunities and  obligations  of  citizenship.  Not  only  are  there 
laws  to  be  obeyed  and  customs  to  be  followed;  but  increas- 
ingly he  must  assume  the  responsibility  connected  with  the 
various  organized  forms  of  the  college  community  life. 
Indeed,  the  maintenance  of  the  college  corporate  life  depends 
upon  the  enthusiastic  participation  of  every  student  in  all 
corporate  activities. 

As  in  other  communities,  there  will  always  be  in  the  college 
individual  leaders  who  are  giving  their  best  in  an  effort  to 
raise  the  ideals  of  the  group.  The  first  duty  of  the  college 
citizen,  as  of  the  citizen  of  the  nation,  is  loyally  to  line  himself 
up  with  such  movements,  and  permanently  to  secure  to  the 
institution  these  high  ideals  by  helping  to  build  them  into  the 
student  code. 

A  student  cannot  consider  himself  an  individual  alone.  He 
is  a  representative  of  his  college.  In  a  very  real  sense  his 
college  is  judged  by  his  actions.  An  undergraduate  from 
Oxford  is  known  as  ap  Oxford  man;  and  it  will  be  the  same 
with  us.  We  shall  find  it  difficult  to  dissociate  ourselves  from 
our  relationship  to  our  college. 

Jesus  recognized  this  representative  character  of  His  fol- 
lowers. He  dared  to  let  His  cause  be  judged  by  those  who 
had  been  associated  with  Him. 

Ye  shall  be  my  witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in 
all  Judaea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part 
of  the  earth.— Acts  1:8. 

Am  I  worthily  representing  my  college? 

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STUDENT  INITIATIVE  [XII-s] 

STUDY  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Every  form  of  corporate  life  comes  to  have  a  character  or 
reputation  by  which  it  is  known.  Some  business  firms  have 
gained  such  an  enviable  reputation  that  the  firm  name  is 
retained  even  when  the  ownership  changes.  We  all  know 
how  difficult  it  is  for  any  organization  to  live  down  a  bad 
reputation,  and  what  an  incentive  it  is  to  an  organization  to 
live  up  to  a  good  reputation.  This  character  or  reputation 
does  not  mean  that  every  member  connected  with  an  organi- 
zation agrees  at  every  point  or  always  lives  up  to  the  ideal 
of  the  whole.  But  there  is  a  dominant  character  which  rises 
out  of  the  united  conviction  and  action  of  the  individual 
members.  A  real  community  implies  such  common  aspirations 
and  common  interests.  The  more  individuals  share  each 
other's  lives  in  a  common  pursuit,  the  more  it  may  be  said 
that  they  form  a  community. 

The  Church  has  always  been  judged  by  its  members.  There 
have  been  those  who  have  grossly  misrepresented  it,  and 
brought  upon  it  the  scathing,  and  ofttimes  justified,  criticism 
of  those  who  were  unsympathetic  with  its  ideals.  But  its 
growth-  throughout  the  centuries  has  been  possible  because  a 
majority  of  its  members  have  really  lived  out  the  life  of  God, 
and  because  its  dominant  influence  has  been  for  justice  and 
righteousness  and  truth  in  the  world.  Thus  has  the  faith  of 
its  Founder  been  justified. 

Ye  shall  be  my  witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in 
all  Judaea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  earth. — Acts  1 :  8. 

College  community  loyalty 

Most  colleges  are  real  communities.  There  is  a  great 
sharing  of  life.  There  are  common  meals  and  dormitories  and 
assemblies  and  organizations,  not  to  mention  classes.  The 
students  read  the  same  college  paper,  cheer  the  same  cheers, 
and  sing  the  same  songs.  Inevitably  the  student  body  will 

161 


[XII-s]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

express  in  its  traditions  certain  clear-cut  ideals.  The  influence 
of  the  founders  of  the  college,  of  the  president  and  the 
faculty,  of  the  college  generations  who  have  gone  before, 
will  play  a  large  part  in  determining  the  direction  of  these 
aims;  but  their  final  realization  is  all  in  the  hands  of  the 
undergraduates.  There  grows  up  a  public  opinion  passing  on 
all  sorts  of  questions,  which  shows  the  dominant  drift  and 
thought  and  feeling  in  the  institution. 

What  is  our  obligation  to  these  various  forms  of  community 
lifef  Are  we  disloyal  to  the  college  when  we  fail  to  do  our 
part?  This  college  world,  with  its  laws  and  customs,  with 
its  politics  and  its  business  organization,  with  its  dramatics 
and  its  press,  is  our  commonwealth  where  we  count  more  as 
individuals  than  ever  before.  It  is  not  enough  for  us  to  live 
well  unto  ourselves.  We  have  a  definite  duty  to  the  general 
life  of  our  community.  The  college  offers  us  examples  of  most 
of  the  types  of  organizations  in  which  we  shall  need  to  take 
our  part  after  graduation.  Why  not  begin  to  learn  their  value 
now?  There  will  be  laws  and  customs  we  shall  meet  in  the 
outer  world;  then,  as  now,  it  will  be  our  duty  to  obey  or 
change  them.  We  shall  have  to  measure  our  powers  of  mind 
and  body  against  others  in  the  years  to  come;  there  is  no 
time  to  begin  like  the  present.  Eagerly,  then,  do  we  enter  the 
fray,  ready  to  put  aside  the  immediate  search  of  our  own 
interests,  ready  to  sacrifice  for  the  purposes  of  our  community. 

But  there  can  be  no  college  ideal  where  the  student  body 
is  divided  up  into  cliques.  Each  clique  may  have  some  idea  of 
its  aims,  but  there  is  no  united  effort,  for  there  is  no  common 
interest  and  no  common  life.  Where  the  well-being  of  the 
small  group  is  put  before  the  well-being  of  the  college ;  where 
the  college  is  simply  made  up  of  a  great  mass  of  individuals, 
"college  spirit"  and  college  ideals  vanish. 

College  traditions 

How  is  it  possible  to  maintain  a  genuine  public  spirit  in 
all  the  colleges?  Traditions  help  to  mould  character.  Where 
they  are  indifferent  or  destructive,  they  are  to  be  attacked. 

162 


STUDENT  INITIATIVE  [XII-s] 

But  we  all  have  to  learn  the  lesson  that  a  tradition  is  a  social 
fact.  It  was  never  built  up  by  one  man  alone,  and  conse- 
quently the  most  effective  method  of  modifying  tradition  is 
by  united  action.  A  wise  use  of  the  college  press,  of  college 
organizations,  and  other  social  agencies, — these  will  be  found 
to  be  the  quickest  means  of  eradicating  an  evil  custom,  the 
surest  method  of  replacing  it  by  one  that  makes  for  the 
highest  ideals. 

Movements  to  change  tradition  come  up  repeatedly  in  every 
college.  What  is  the  responsibility  of  each  of  us  at  such  a 
time? 

Though  there  are  college  customs  that  point  to  very  low 
ideals,  in  the  main  our  colleges  in  North  America  have  such 
lofty  aims  that  most  of  us  fail  to  live  up  to  them.  It  is  a  part 
of  our  task  to  be  worthy  of  the  college  of  which  we  are 
members.  How  often  have  we  heard  such  words  as  these : 

"Did  he  come  from  college?  Then  I  don't  think 

much  of  that  college."  Somehow  or  other  we  blame  the 
college  where  we  hesitate  to  blame  the  student's  home  town  or 
his  family. 

United  student  action 

How  can  student  initiative  be  made  effective?  Some 
colleges  have  considered  it  wise  to  encourage  the  formation 
of  student  government.  Others  have  used  more  informal 
methods.  But  it  has  been  found  necessary  to  have  some 
method  of  registering  and  developing  public  opinion  on 
questions  of  first  importance  in  the  life  of  the  undergraduate 
body.  Action  in  such  cases  insures  that  the  spirit  of  the 
community  will  be  in  sympathy  with  laws  passed  for  its 
government,  thus  assuring  obedience  that  comes  from  free 
consent. 

College  Christian  spirit 

How  can  a  Christian  spirit  for  all  the  college  be  assured? 
The  Christian  Associations  are  simply  voluntary  organiza- 

163 


[XII-s]    STUDENT  STANDARDS  OF  ACTION 

tions  of  students,  banded  together  to  register  and  develop 
Christian  public  opinion  in  the  college.  How  many  of  us  have 
ever  stopped  to  wonder  why  some  students  seem  to  oppose 
the  firm  establishment  of  Christian  ideals  in  the  corporate 
life  of  their  institution?  This  simply  means  that  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  students  are  seeking  to  live  out  on  the  campus  and 
make  real  in  the  life  of  the  college  purity,  justice  and  truth, 
brotherliness  as  against  selfishness,  real  sacrifice  and  service. 
Who  would  not  be  proud  of  a  college  with  a  Christian  ideal? 

What  is  my  ideal  as  a  Christian  student? 

Jesus  Christ  has  called  me  to  a  life  of  loyal  devotion  to  Him 
and  His  cause.  Have  I  given  myself  to  Him  unreservedly? 

Jesus  Christ  has  trusted  me  worthily  to  represent  Him  in 
the  college.  Am  I  always  on  the  side  of  the  noblest  Christian 
aspirations  of  the  college  life?  Am  I  putting  forth  every 
effort  to  make  dominant  through  the  entire  college  the  highest 
Christian  ideals? 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  DISCUSSION 

What  determines  the  character  of  an  organization  or  com- 
munity? 

By  whom  is  the  reputation  of  a  business  firm  formed?  of  a 
social  organization? 

How  far  is  it  fair  to  judge  the  Christian  church  by  its 
members?  What  has  determined  the  effectiveness  of  the 
church  ? 

How  far  has  a  community  a  character?  What  effect  upon 
its  character  has  its  ideal? 

How  can  an  organization  with  members  of  diverse  con- 
victions have  a  common  ideal? 

What  is  the  relation  of  student  initiative  to  the  college  life? 

What  obligation  does  citizenship  in  the  college  community 
entail?  How  far  does  the  college  offer  opportunities  to  train 
for  future  citizenship? 

164 


STUDENT  INITIATIVE  [XII-s] 

What  characteristics  of  the  college  community  tend  to  give 
it  a  unified  life? 

When  is  an  ideal  for  all  the  college  possible?  What  is  the 
effect  of  college  cliques  upon  such  a  community  ideal? 

What  factors  enter  into  the  formation  of  the  college  ideal? 
How  far  do  students  determine  it? 

What  is  the  difference  between  college  public  opinion  and 
the  college  ideal?  How  is  public  opinion  in  the  college 
formed?  How  is  it  expressed? 

What  is  the  relation  of  college  traditions  to  the  college 
ideal?  What  responsibility  has  each  student  to  the  college 
traditions  ?  How  long  should  a  college  tradition  be  respected  ? 

To  what  extent  is  some  organized  form  of  the  life  of 
students  necessary  to  the  realization  of  a  college  ideal?  What 
are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  student  self-govern- 
ment? How  far  does  it  insure  respect  for  the  authority  and 
government  of  the  college  itself? 

To  what  extent  is  some  voluntary  student  Christian  organi- 
zation necessary  to  a  Christian  spirit  dominating  all  the 
college?  What  changes  would  you  suggest  in  the  Student 
Christian  Associations  which  would  make  them  more  effec- 
tively such  organizations?  Who  determines  the  character  of 
the  Christian  Association  in  any  college? 

How  far  is  Christianity  necessary  to  the  highest  ideal  for 
the  college? 

What  is  my  ideal  as  a  Christian  student? 
What   am  I  going  to  do  about  itf  ' 


165 


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